What's in a Name
by Hitman25ad
Summary: What would have happened if that old lady who had knocked Ranma out of the Nekoken the first time had not given him back to Genma? How would things be different? What would be the same?
1. Chapter 01

What's In a Name

Ok just to let you know these characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful lady who created them. They are also distributed by VIZ Video. I am not nor will not gain any money by writing this story. This story is just being written for fun that is all.

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What's In a Name

By

The Catman

Prolog

The old woman was startled by a sound behind her. She scanned the area around her looking everywhere but finding nothing. She let her senses extend beyond her body. What she found amazed and frightened her. She did not show any signs of her fright though for she knew that would be very dangerous. Instead she continued with her chores as she had always done before. Thoughts ran through her head at what she had felt. Very disturbing thoughts.

(If I find the fool that has done this I'll…I'll what?) She thought with sadness. (I cannot interfere with a teenage boy's instruction. They are very stubborn; the boy probably wanted to know how to do the technique. Probably to become the best in the art as others have wanted to. Who could resist the lure of an indestructible technique?) She sighed at the stupidity of it. Why a boy could not understand why a technique was band she could not understand. After all that was how she lost her son and husband. 

She had walked in too late. Her son had already embraced the madness and had torn her husband's internals out. Her husband had been a physical man. He had known the art and known it well. He had made a mistake though and left an old training manual out where her son and his friend could find it. The friend was nowhere to be seen. Her husband had tried without success to subdue their son. That had been his last and final mistake. The boy had become instantly territorial. Having another male around at the instant of his release from the pit of cats was a disaster. When she had finally calmed her son down he still would not come out of the madness. 

He had started searching for a mate. The authorities would have taken him if he had raped the girl down the road. The girl was to marry another man to bring together two powerful martial art schools. Her son had had feelings for the girl. He had never had the power to defeat the other boy to gain the love of the girl from the other boy though. 

She knew it would not matter if he did. The girl was in love with the dishonorable boy. There was nothing her son could do to turn her favor. She knew that love was blind. Her son just never accepted that fact and would not give up. That is probably the reason he had tried to learn the catfist technique she assumed. He had killed her husband and lost all hope of recovery at that time. Trying to get to the girl was just the icing on the cake. It was fortunate that the girl was not in the area at the time. She had to take matters into her own hands at the time and had to appeal to the catfist one weakness. It could only work after the victim had initially turned to the cat personality of the catfist madness. When the victim was in his cat mode for the first time the body would still not be in the proper shape to handle the excess chi generated from the technique. She had known a way to boost the level of a person's chi to the point where the power would knock the person out. However if she used the technique on a victim of the catfist at the stage of development that her son was in it would cause his heart to explode. It would only work in the few short hours after the initial madness had taken the victim. She had used the technique before her son had left the girl's house. He had been dead within minutes of the application of the technique. She was lucky, for her son had trusted her and allowed her to come close enough to use the chi charge technique. If she had been unable to stop him there may have been an unstoppable killing machine let lose on the district. Then she would have to deal with the authorities as well. She regretted what she had to do, but it had to be done. She knew that, but it still hurt. 

After she had taken care of her son she had taken him to be buried along with her husband. She was glad that she had friends to help. As soon as the two were taken away she set to clean her home as best she could before her daughter returned from school. It was hard to clean all the blood and gore away in the few short hours that she had. That was simple though than telling her only remaining child what had happened to her father and brother. They had mourned a long time after the deaths. It was always painful to lose those you love. For herself a loving husband and a son. For her daughter a caring father and a brother.

She had gone searching for the missing friend and had found him in the park huddled up in a fetal position a look of fright on his face. She had calmed him down and asked how they had gained the knowledge of the catfist. That was how she learned of the manual. Unfortunately he had lost it during his flight from the house. She had searched long and hard for that book in the days after her husband and son's death. It had disappeared though and could not be found. That made her days of mourning even sadder for if some fool were to go through with the training what could happen may be disastrous. And this time she would not be able to help. For with her son she had his trust. This time she had no such bond.

The old woman was brought out of her thoughts by a nudging on her leg. She looked down and was shocked at what she saw. She had expected a teenage boy to be the one under the madness of the catfist training. She did not expect a six to seven year old boy. Anger grew in her heart as she looked to the boy. Anger at the person who could have done this vile thing to one so young. The boy started to back away from her as her rage began to show. She quickly submerged it. It would not help the boy if she got mad. She needed to stay calm. To stay in control of her emotions. She started to radiate calmness around her. The boy looked at her then began to come closer to her again. Sadness also found its way into her heart as she thought of what would become of the boy. She knew she would have to kill him before he started to act like her son. First though she would have to get his trust. 

It amazed her just how powerful this boy was. Not only had she mistaken the boy for a teenager because of the training requirements called upon to access the deadly technique. This young boy should not even be alive at the moment. The amount of chi he was generating should have already have made his heart explode. Just how much power could this boy take? If he was this powerful now in the frenzy of the catfist training madness, how powerful would the boy become if he were to complete the full training of the catfist.

(No!) She thought suddenly. (It would be a mistake to let the boy have access to such power.) She studied the boy as he sat on his haunches watching her. His dark braided hare matted with claw marks surrounding his skin. Yet they were healing before her eyes. This amazed her even more. If the boy could heal himself at such a fast rate he could be unbeatable even without the catfist to assist him.

She looked into the blank yet caring playful gray blue eyes of the young boy. She sighed as she realized that she would not be able to kill the child. Even in her son she had seen the true madness in his eyes. This boy did not have that madness. Where her son's eyes were filled with hate and spite and the uncaring feelings of a grown mail tomcat. This boy's eyes were filled with the love and innocence of a kitten. No she could not kill him. The question then arose on what to do with him then. She supposed she could sit and watch the boy until whoever had done this to him would come looking for him. She almost did that until the thought entered her mind that it would be best if she took the boy inside. There she could watch from her window for any strangers to come by looking for the boy. It also wouldn't due to shock the person right off the bat that they would now have a cat for a student or a son if that were the case.

She slowly stepped back from the boy. Waving and cooing for him to follow her. He looked at her his head tilted to the side. He then rose onto all fours and proceeded to follow her. He slowly followed her until he reached the doorway to her house. There he stopped. Cautiously he looked through the doorway. Not responding to her cooing sounds any longer.

She knew that it would be better for the boy if he was inside instead of out there where others could see. (It may bring embarrassment on the boy's family if they saw him like this.) She reasoned to herself. An idea came to her then. She quickly got some milk and cakes from the kitchen hoping that the boy would still be there when she returned. Thankfully he was still looking through the doorway as she cautiously moved towards him.

"Look here young one." She said putting the bowl of milk on the floor while still holding the cakes in her other hand. The boy watched her as she backed away from the bowl. He again came closer through the door and up to the bowl of milk. He began sniffing the bowl rim and then the milk itself. He then took a cautious lick then another. Soon the boy was hungrily lapping up the milk in the bowl. 

The old woman slowly stood while the boy was drinking. She made her way around him and closed the door behind her. At all times keeping her eye on the small boy. She again moved around the boy and sat as he finished drinking.

The boy looked up from the bowl of milk. A contented look on his face. He slowly advanced on the old woman getting closer every few minuets. Eventually the boy made his way up to her. The boy began to sniff at her then nudging her with his head. She still remained as still as she could not making any aggressive movements. The boy then backed away from her meowing. Suddenly he lunged at her startling her. She closed her eyes cursing her unwillingness to kill the boy. Suddenly she heard purring. The old woman had a startled look on her face when she opened her eyes and found the boy on her lap. She smiled and soon started to giggle at the playfulness of this young boy. The sneaky little guy had nearly given her a heart attack. 

What happened next gave her an even greater shock. The boy started to uncurl from her lap. His head still nestled within the soft folds of her kimono. He also began to speak instead of the soft purring of a sleeping kitten.

"No pop…stop…pleases…it…hurts. Please pop not the pit again. Yes…I…want to be a man for mother. Yes I know I must be a man, but the cats frighten me. No I am not a coward. Yes I will be a man. I wont be frightened any more, just please don't throw me ba…ck…"

His words brought a tear to the old woman's eyes. To think that a father would put his son through such an ordeal. She smiled down at the boy. He was simply amazing. She had never before seen one come all the way back from the catfist training madness. But this young boy had done what many masters of the art could not. He had brought himself back from the madness. Given the proper care he could well become a true master of the catfist. And without the madness to lead him to hurt others as he would, it might be a blessing. 

It would take time to heal the mental scaring the boy had suffered, but it could be done. (The school of her family could live again through this boy.) She thought as she gazed adoringly at him. Her daughter would love to have him she knew. After all after her first child was born complications made her sterile. Then the death of her daughter's son two years ago sent both her daughter and her daughter's husband into seclusion to mourn.

The old woman sighed at the thought of yet another tragedy that had happened in her family. The poor young boy was the hope of the school. But he had been born with a weak constitution. The boy had contracted pneumonia when he turned four. Already being weak the boy had died three days later. The two had left soon after their young son's death. Making their way to the woods to live in seclusion. They had even kept their sons death a secret. In fact she had received a letter from them recently for her to come visit. She had considered it too, but chores around the house just would not wait. Looking down upon the sleeping boy she was glad she had not.

The boy with his head still in her lap began to stir from his restless slumber. His eyes opened, and he blinked a couple times while his mind cleared the fog in his brain. He looked up facing the old woman. Then realization came to him of what he was laying on and he quickly sat up pushing himself away from her.

"Wh…wh…where am I?" He said weakly. Shaking his head in confusion. He stood up and stumbled about reaching out to balance himself on a wall.

The old woman quickly got up and steadied him to keep the boy from falling. "You should be careful young one. You had quite an ordeal. Come sit for a bit until you regain your equilibrium."

"My what?"

"Your balance."

"Oh," he said while she led him to a place to sit. She then went back to the hall and got the plate of cakes she had set down earlier. When she entered the room where she had put the boy he was again starting to stand up.

"It would be better if you stayed seated for a bit young one." She said as she set the plate of cakes down on the table.

"But I need to get back to my pop." He said shaking his head. "I need to find him so he can train me to be the man mother wants me to be."

"I am sure that he can wait while you have something to eat first young one."

"Eat!!! Yeah sure he can wait for that!" The boy said excitedly.

"Good then you just sit there and eat and we can talk about your father's training. After all I can see that it has done wonders for you so far."

"Well he has taught me a lot of really neat stuff. I can show you if you would like?"

"Go right ahead young one. Go right ahead."

The boy got to his feet more steadily than before and started a kata that his father had shown him. The old woman watched as the boy flawlessly went through the complex kata. He was just showing her surprise after surprise. In that instant she knew she could not return the boy to his father. Her daughter and herself could raise the boy better at any rate. She could even get the help of her amazon Aunt in China Ku-Lon. After all she knew many more aspects of the art being nearly two hundred years older than herself.

The Question then arose on how to keep the boy with her. The boy would undoubtedly want to return to his rightful guardian. The innocent boy just did not know how bad the man was to him. He was just to young to understand such things. So how was she going to keep him from going back? As he continued his kata a plan formed in the mind of the old woman.

"Young one would you mind if I showed you something?"

The boy stopped his kata and looked skeptically at the old woman.

"You can show me something?"

"Yes, it would probably really impress your father even."

"Really? Cool, show me!"

"All right just wait right there for a second OK?"

"Yes ma'am!" He said excitedly hopping up and down while clapping his hands. He couldn't wait to show his father a technique that he would be impressed at.

The old woman got up and walked out of the room. When she came back she was carrying a bottle of something called formula one one zero.

"Hey what's that for?" The boy asked.

"You will see soon enough. It is actually a critical part of the technique."

"Really? Wow!" 

"Now watch closely to what I do."

The old woman became a blur of motion. When it was all over the boy had a blank look on his face. He stared at the old woman for a second then asked. "Who are you?"

"Why your grandmother young one don't you remember?"

"No, I don't. "What happened grandmother?" He looked around in confusion at his surroundings then again looked to the old woman. "Grandmother?"

"Yes young one."

"Who am I?"

"Oh my poor child. I guess I was to rough with you. You are my grandson Kenchi. The heir to the school of All or Nothing goes martial arts. You are the pride of the school my grandson. You will become the best of us all."

The boy looked to the old woman with recognition of those words. "Yes grandmother I am to be the best there is in the art right?"

"Yes my grandson." She said as she pulled the boy into a hug. Not noticing the man running past her house yelling for his lost son.

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Chapter 1

A Different Start

Akane got out of bed ready for the new day. Today was special for her. It was the first day of high school. She had been looking forward to this the whole summer. She was always a bit envious of how Nabiki would tell her of the things she did at high school. Soon She would be among those in the big kid's school. Not one of the little kids any more. And maybe now a certain doctor would start to notice her. She smiled at the thought of that. 

Akane quickly made her way to the bathroom and stripped out of her night cloths. Filling a bucket with cold water she pours its contents over herself. Then lathered herself and repeated the process of pouring cold water over herself. Washing the lather from her body. She then entered the furo for a nice soak. She usually went for a run at this time but she was much to excited today to do that. She was wondering what the people at her new school would be like. She was sure she would find lots of friends. She was certain it would be better than her old school. There the boys were so immature. She always heard them talking about her behind her back. Yes she thought, her new school would be much better she was sure.

The table was already served for breakfast when Akane came down from her bath. She like her sister Nabiki was dressed in a Furincan girls uniform. Kasumi, Akane's other older sister was wearing one of her normal knee length skirts and a white blouse. She had on her everyday-cooking apron over her skirt. Her father in his normal brown gi was sitting reading the morning newspaper.

Akane quickly made her way to the table and served herself her breakfast. It was a quiet breakfast and Akane knew why. On the first day of school every year her father, if anything were said, would go into a fit about how old his little girls were getting. It was a hassle in itself when Kasumi had graduated high school. Akane always felt a little envious and a little sad for her older sister. She had given up much so Nabiki and herself could have a somewhat normal life. Akane didn't know of many friends that hung around Kasumi. It was like she was locked up inside this house never to escape.

Then there was the fact that Kasumi was very beautiful. She had unknowingly stolen the man of her dreams from right under her nose. Well OK so they weren't necessarily an item yet. That was the only chance she had though of winning his favor. After all no one was better than Dr. Tofu was.

Akane's mind then drifted over to Nabiki. She was the mercenary of the family. She was always so good with numbers. When their mother died it was Kasumi who kept the family together. But it was Nabiki who kept the family afloat. Nabiki as with Kasumi had given up a lot to achieve her status. She was known to all at her school as the ice queen of Furincan high school. And with the title came a certain separation from the rest of the school. Akane had seen Nabiki hang out with other girls, but they always seemed more like associates than real friends did.

As for herself? Well she loved martial arts. It was what she knew best. After the death of her mother her father took to training her for the future of the school as he had put it. Of coarse the fact that she kind of made him teach her wasn't a part of it. Above anything Akane wanted to make her father proud of her. So far she was the best martial artist in the neighborhood. And with the start at the new school she was determined to make her mark as the best there to.

"So Akane are you excited on starting out at a new school today?" Asked Kasumi in her innocently sweet voice.

"Oh yes." Akane replied back to her sister. "I can't wait to meet all the new people there."

"Don't get your hopes up to high sis. There's not that much to see at Furincan. It's just your normal everyday school with the occasional lunatic hanging around." (Reference Kuno)

"I'm sure it must be better than my old school Nabiki. After all everyone there was always talking of how exciting Furincan was. And of the great kendo team they have."

"True I always win well on Kunobaby's fights but still not much ells happens. It would be a great relief if someone could actually get the better of Kuno at one point. You don't know how hard it is to hear him always bragging about his ancient Japanese heritage. And that none can stand his might."

"Oh my! I believe it is time for the both of you to be on your way. Here are your lunches. I hope you both have a good day."

"I am sure we will Kasumi. Take care of yourself. You to daddy."

"Oh my baby girls are becoming so grown up. Whaaaa…"

Nabiki and Akane rushed out of the house as fast as they could knowing that if they stayed they would never escape the bear hug their father was planning for them. Then his tiers would soak them. That was one thing that they both wanted to avoid at all costs.

About a block from the house they both slowed down to a walk. Figuring it was a safe enough distance from their father. The two girls began to laugh at their father's antics.

"That was a little close wasn't it?" Akane said gaining control of her laughter. She then developed a thoughtful look on her face.

Nabiki not one to overlook such things asked. "Hey what bothering you sis?"

"Oh nothing really. Its just I wish mom was here to be with us. I would have liked her to see us now. I wonder what she would think of how we turned out."

"Oh," Nabiki said a masked look also adorning her face. Akane noticed what she had done. Nabiki was one to always hide her feelings. It was the way she was. After the death of their mother it was one of the ways for her to escape the pain. The other being money.

"I'm sorry to be so depressing all of a sudden." Akane said as she looked back to the ground.

"It's all right sis. No harm done really. We all think about mom at one point or another." 

So caught up were the two girls in their current thoughts that they did not see the boy just coming out of the gate in front of them. Nor did Akane realize she was about to run in to him. Knocking him over and falling on top of him. 

"Watch where your going you dum…dum…dum…" Akane's words died in her throat as she looked into the boy's gray blue eyes. She felt his tight muscled chest under her. Being held by his strong arms. His handsome face wearing an intoxicating smile.

"I believe the word you are looking for is dummy right?"

"Yeah…right…dummy." Akane sighed out.

"Are you going to let me get up or are we going to lie here all day?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. She said getting up off of the boy." He stood helping her to her feet

"Well I guess that was my fault in a way there. I should have looked to see if someone was coming or not. I would like to stay and chat but I must be going. I don't want to be late for my first day of school. See ya around maybe. Especially you cute stuff." He said winking at Akane. With that he turned hoped up to a nearby roof and literally hopped away disappearing from sight.

"What an odd getup to be wearing to school." Nabiki commented as Akane watched in the direction he had left

"What do mean Nabiki? What was he wearing that was odd?"

"The red Chinese shirt and ankle tied black pants sis didn't you notice?"

"Uh, not really Nabiki."

"Oh and what did you notice about him then, hmm sis?"

"Oh his dark long braided hair, those gorgeous blue gray eyes, those wonderfully strong arms, and that great voice."

"Oh brother sis, lets get going before we're late for school."

The two then proceeded to run to school barely making it through the gate and into class before the late bell. Akane was surprised to see the boy she had run into earlier in her homeroom class. He looked her way and winked at her as she sat down. Bringing a blush to her face. The teacher soon came in taking roll call of the class. Akane paid close attention as the teacher called out the names of the class. Waiting for that particular voice to answer to his name.

"Morisoto, Kenchi?"

"Hear!" Came the reply.

Akane turned the name around in her mind as the teacher continued on down the list. Thinking of how she could properly introduce herself. As her name was called on the roster Akane called out the normal reply then went back to her thoughts until the class began. 

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When the lunch bell rang Akane made her way outside. She liked to eat outside at her old school when she could. When she got past the school doors she saw Nabiki sitting under a tree close by. She was about to join her older sister when she noticed Kenchi sitting alone off to the side of the building. With a grin on her face she proceeded to walk towards him. She took no more than three steps when her path was impeded.

"Oh how the sun doth shine on mine eyes. She is like the blossom of the first flower of spring. Oh how thy loveliness shines through these great halls. Please let mine ears hear the name of the goddess before me so that I may worship thee."

"Who?"

"Oh pardon mine rudeness. Tis it not proper for the superior to give his name first. I my fair damsel am Kuno Tatewaki, Shooting Star of Furincan High School."

"Look it's nice meeting you but there is someone I need to speak with. So if you would excuse me Kuno sempia I will be on my way."

As Akane started to step around the tall boy he again blocked her path but this time using a wooden boken. She looked back up to his face to see him smirking at her.

"Thow has not yet bestowed thy name upon thee. Would you deny thy greatness of thy name?"

"It's Tendo Akane now if you please I am in a hurry."

Akane again tried to step around the annoying boy but still he blocked her way using his boken.

"She be yet light but fierce. I would honor thee to date with me my sweet Tendo Akane."

"I don't feel like it. Now get out of my way."

"Ahh, so it is a challenge then? Very well if I defeat you, you shall date with me."

"You have got to be joking." Akane said getting into a ready stance. "Don't you know when a girl says no that she means no?"

"Apparently he doesn't."

"Kenchi!" Akane said looking behind the tall boy to see Kenchi staring at them.

"Stay out of this whelp. Tis none concern of yours."

"You know you really sound stupid when you talk like that."

"Who be you to talk such a way to the shooting star of Furincan High School."

"I am…"

"Ah but is it not the common to give thyn own name first? Very well then I am the rising young star of the kendo world. I am the shooting star of Furincan High School! Kuno Tatewaki age seventeen."

"Well as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. I am Morisoto Kenchi heir to the all or nothing school of martial arts. While we are in the tone of introductions may I ask your name cutie?"

"Umm, my name's Tendo Akane heir to the Tendo School of anything goes martial arts. Formally Indiscriminate Grappling. Umm, not that I'm not grateful or anything but I can take care of this jerk."

"Well I just saw him bothering you and I thought you could use some help."

"Why? Because I'm a girl?" Akane asked her temper beginning to rise.

"Umm, Well partly."

"Partly? What's the other reason hmm?" Akane said advancing on Kenchi who was slowly backing away from her.

"Well because I know how bothersome jerks like him can be, and I actually wanted to meet you." He said again stepping back a step.

Akane stopped advancing on Kenchi and realized that she was about to deck the boy she wanted to get acquainted with. "Oh, umm I'm sorry. I kinda got carried away there. I didn't mean to do that I just get carried away sometimes." Akane blushed in embarrassment as Kenchi looked at her. His gaze seemed to soften and he started to smile.

"It's okay, I guess I can see your point. A lot of guys do put down girls as being the inferior, and weaker sex."

"Oh, and you know better I assume?"

"You bet. Just last month in fact I was visiting my great aunt. Now that is one tough old woman. When you get her mad she will really beat the living daylights out of you. She would then use you as meat for a meat grinder. Of coarse I still love the old ghoul."

While Akane and Kenchi where having their discussion Kuno was just standing there fuming for being ignored.

"Excuse me but doth thou hast a quarrel to ascertain with me."

"Pardon me sempia but the lady and I are having a discussion."

"You dare…"

"Dry up and die!" Akane shouted as she punched Kuno out of the schoolyard.

"Hmm, nice form there Akane."

"Thanks I think. So where douse our great aunt live?"

"China actually. She is one of the council members for a tribe of amazons in the region. How about you? Who taught you martial arts?"

"Oh umm, my father mainly. He taught me the basics so I could become the heir to the dojo. Since there is no male heir I was the only option left."

"Really? Why would that be the only reason he would have to teach you? Just because you're a girl dose not mean you can't run a dojo."

"My father is very traditional." Akane said while sitting down by a tree. Kenchi sat next to her while she again began to talk. "He believes in all the stuff about bushido and the proper place of a family. He is the type that wants to bring back old Japan."

"Well I guess there is nothing wrong with that. But he should realize that times change. Not only the people but also the places. A culture that does not grow to meet the challenges of the outside is a culture doomed for failure."

"Where did you hear a speech like that? From your aunt in China?"

"No, actually my grandmother used to say that a lot. My great aunt and my grandmother were at odds on that subject. You see my great aunt is a lot like your father. Yet she lives in this wacky amazon village in China that believes it is the woman's place to rule over men. Grandmother never liked that though. She believed as I do that both women and men are very equal. It is true that we have our differences but that does not mean that a woman cannot fight, lead, or think as well as a man, or a man as well as a woman."

"Your grandmother sounds like a very wise woman."

"She was."

"Was?"

"She passed on about two years ago. She had been very sick for a while and it finally caught up with her." 

"I'm sorry. You sound like you loved her very much."

"Yes I did. I live with my aunt now that is why I am going to this school since my aunt decided to move back from China to here. You see my grandmother used to live in Tokyo before she went to visit my great aunt in China. I have been either with my grandmother, my aunt, or my great aunt."

"What about your parents?"

Kenchi's face became even sadder than when he was talking about his grandmother when Akane brought up his parents. "I never really knew my parents." He said looking down at his hands. " All I know about them is that my father is dead and my mother couldn't take care of me after his death. I don't know if she is even alive."

Akane started to look at her hands at that moment. Thoughts of her own family running through her head.

"Have I depressed you Akane? I am sorry for that." Kenchi said looking sadly at her.

"Oh no! I'm sorry I was just thinking of my mother." Akane said looking towards Kenchi. "You see she died when I was younger. I just was thinking that I am glad that I have the memories of her that I do."

Akane was about to go into more detail when the warning bell for lunch went off. Akane looked at Kenchi and smiled at him.

"Well I guess we had better be going." Akane said getting up.

"I would like to talk again if we could?" Kenchi asked before Akane walked away.

"I would like that." She said. "How about you come over to our dojo? We could even spar."

"I don't think that is such a good idea Akane. Dojos tend to become demolished when I'm around. How about we meet in the park about an hour after school?"

"Sure I would love to Kenchi. It's a date then." Akane said before she quickly turned and ran inside the school doors. Kenchi stood there with a worried look on his face.

"A date?" He said, then running to the school himself so he wouldn't be late for his next class. Stepping on a still unconscious Kuno on the way inside. (Kenchi how do you always get yourself into these things.) He thought as he ran inside the school doors.

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After the school let out Akane rushed home leaving a bewildered Nabiki in the dust. Nabiki had wanted to ask her sister about the rumors of her sitting with a boy at lunch. Or more accurately about the boy she had seen her sister with at lunch. She had been surprised to see Kuno Tatawaki laid out as he was when she was entering the school after lunch. He had been her biggest moneymaker at school. If he could be beaten then Nabiki was one to want to know everything about the person who could do it. It was lucky that the other students at school had not seen Kuno in his state. 

Kuno had been the premier fighter at school the year before. It was rare to see one even better than him. From what Nabiki had gathered of the Kuno clan they were not ones to contend with. They were a very wealthy family. A family Nabiki herself would love to become a part of. But they were also a bit eccentric. Tatawaki himself had a thing for talking like he was from the European middle ages while his sister as far as Nabiki had learned was one to get what she wanted at her all girls school. She was a part of that schools rhythmic gymnastics team. It was rumored that the girl had a thing for attacking other schools teams so they could not compete against her. Nabiki could not find out much about the father and mother of the Kuno clan. They had disappeared earlier in the young Kuno's childhood. It was believed that the mother had died and that their father had lost his sanity due to her death. 

Either way Nabiki had to find out about the boy who could defeat the greatest fighter at Furincan High School. If not for the informational value to the school, then for her own curiosity. If she could get such a fighter in her corner either through blackmail or other methods she would be set for life. No one would be able to touch her. First though she would have to get something on him. So far all she had was a name. Soon it would be much more.

(Morisoto Kenchi by the end of the week I will have you eating out of my hand.) Nabiki thought as she continued on her way home. A wicked smile appeared on her face as she thought of all the money she would be raking in from her ventures of this new martial artist.

Akane had rushed home quickly from school. It was rare for someone like her to meet someone like Kenchi. He was nice, considerate, a little fast in the mouth but she could work around that, very handsome and most of all he said she was cute. She couldn't wait to talk to him again. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her. Love at first sight was supposed to happen only in the movies wasn't it? Now it had happened to her. But what a guy for her to fall in love with if it was love that is. But if it wasn't didn't love start with this sort of attraction any ways?

Akane began to think of Dr. Tofu. He had been the only man she had known to treat her with the type of understanding that she craved. Could Kenchi give her the same? She hoped he could. After all Dr. Tofu was lost to her because of her sister Kasumi. What was worse Kasumi seemed to not have a clue that there even was an attraction. Akane had hoped for a long time that the good Doctor would look to her instead of her sister. She had even grown her hair out like Kasumis' to impress him. He seemed to like long hair after all.

Akane wondered if Kenchi preferred long hair or short hair. Dr. Tofu had said she looked like a boy with short hair. That day had been really hard on Akane. She had been in a really big fight with one of the boys at school and had scraped herself up. Kasumi had taken her to see Dr. Tofu. He had fixed up her hurts in no time. It had made her feel good to have him touch her. He was gentile and kind. That is until Kasumi had started to speak to him and he had started to act all weird.

Akane found herself looking into the mirror. She wondered why boys couldn't look at her the way they look at Kasumi. It was true that Kasumi acted all sweet and innocent but did they see the real her. They only saw the outside. What Kasumi wanted them to see. Akane then started to wonder if she had seen the real Kasumi. Akane had remembered a time when all Kasumi could think about was school and helping mother around the house. She also remembered a Kasumi who loved to help people. Not much had changed in that regard Akane thought. But now Kasumi was stuck in the role of being a mother, a sister, and a homemaker before she had finished her childhood. Akane had never even seen her sister go out on an actual date in her life. Was that what it took to attract a guy in that way. To lose your independence and own free thought? That is not what Akane wanted. She wanted to be herself. She wanted to be a teacher of martial arts. She did not want to sit around all-day and clean house.

Akane looked at her watch and saw that it was almost time to meet Kenchi. She hurriedly put her workout gi on and raced out of her bedroom door. She saw Nabiki exiting her room as she reached the stairs. Waving to her sister and ignoring the strange look her sister gave her Akane raced down the stairs and into the Kitchen where Kasumi was making something already for dinner.

"Kasumi," Akane said as she entered the kitchen. "I will be going to the park to work out with someone today so don't wait up for me at dinner Okay."

"Oh my, don't be too late Akane. And please tell father that you will be out. You know how he worries."

"I will Kasumi. See ya!"

Akane then made her way to the dojo where she found her father doing a kata. It was a rarity to see him do one these days. Usually he would just sit around on the verandah looking out over the yard. Waiting for the few meager students that he had these days to show up. Akane hoped it was a sign that he was getting better.

"Father," she said as she entered the dojo.

"Ah Akane, how are you this afternoon daughter."

"I am fine father," she said bowing to him. "I am about to go out to meet a new friend in the park."

"That is great news! It is nice to see that you are making some new friends Akane. I only have seen you with Yuka and Sayuri. They are fine friends true but you need to meat more people as well. So what is your little friends name Akane?"

"His name is Kenchi father she said as she headed out of the dojo."

"His?" Soun said as he watched his youngest daughter run from the dojo. Souns' eyes began to water as he thought of his little girl going out to meet a boy. Then his eyes got wide as he realized that his little girl was going out to meet a boy. Soun fell to his knees and started to blubber that his little baby was to young to be in the company of boys. "Oh what is a father to do?" He blubbered out.

Kenchi was already waiting in the park as Akane arrived. He smiled at her as she ran up to him. His gray blue eyes shining in the late afternoon sunlight. "Are you ready Akane?" He asked as she got close enough for her to hear him. She looked at him as he got into a fighting stance.

Nodding her head she got into her own fighting stance waiting for him to attack. But all he did was stand there looking at her. Akane's impatience got the better of her and she attacked with all of her power. The next thing she knew she was lying face up on the ground looking into the big blue sky. Akane sat up and saw Kenchi smirking at her. That got her temperature rising so she got back up and attacked again. Going for a punch kick combination. Again she found herself on her back with Kenchi starring down at her with that same smirk on his face.

"What are you smiling at!" She yelled out kicking up towards his face. He deftly caught her foot and started to tickle it. Akane couldn't help but laugh out loud at him tickling her foot. She hoped he couldn't see her embarrassment of him getting the better of her so easily. She finally freed her foot and scooted back from him. Her head bowed low looking into her lap.

"What's wrong Akane?" Kenchi said walking up to her. "Are you already through sparing?" Akane looked up into his face tiers showing on her face. "Akane?" Kenchi said as he noticed her tiers. "Oh no I didn't hurt you did I?" He asked kneeling down beside her.

"No," she said looking into his face trying to hold back the tiers of shame she felt on her cheeks. "I don't know why I'm even crying." She lied as she watched his concerned eyes on her.

"Come on Akane what's wrong then? If you are not hurt then why are you crying?"

Would he understand? She thought as she looked into his concerned gray blue eyes. Maybe he will. 

"I thought I was the best." She finally said to him looking again into her lap. "My father brought me up to be the best in the art. Then here you are beating be so easily. How can I say I can teach if I am such a lousy martial artist."

Kenchi began to laugh at Akanes' statements. Which really began to irritate her. "Fine see if I tell you anything again!" She yelled out. She started to get up when Kenchi put a hand on her shoulder. Making her sit back down.

"Akane, how can you think that being the best is the only way you can teach the art? I know a lot of so called masters that I can take down just about as fast as you. I will tell you this much Akane. When you think that you are the best be prepared to lose because there is someone better waiting around the corner. How long have you been training Akane?" He asked out of the blue.

"Since I was young. Every afternoon for about an hour before dinner. Then maybe an hour after before bed. Why?" Akane asked irritated.

"Because Akane for me training doesn't stop when it is dinnertime, or when I go to sleep. I train every day. At all times. Even when it looks like I am resting I am still training myself. You on the other hand have not had the training that I have had. It is understandable that you were just beaten. Do not beat yourself up about it. After all you will only get better right?"

Akane smiled at Kenchi as he smiled back at her. "Now why don't you get back up and I will show you why you were put on your back so easily." He said with a chuckle. Akane, still smiling, stuck her tong out at him. She then got up and aloud Kenchi to show her the holes she had in her defense. She also realized that not only was Kenchi a good fighter but also a good teacher. He was showing her the things she needed to know and yet being patient with her until she got it right. They kept this up for two hours until Akane could take no more and fell to her knees panting. She had never worked so hard in her life. Kenchi had really pushed her in that brief two hours. Yet he was barely showing any signs of fatigue at all.

"Kenchi, just how good are you?" She asked while regaining her breath.

Kenchi got a far away look in his eye when he began to think about Akane's question. He then looked right at her. His eyes bore the look of seriousness and determination.

"Akane I will answer your question on a couple of conditions. One you will have to promise on your honor as a martial artist and your family name that you will never reveal what I am about to tell you. I also want you to promise to listen to everything I say before you even utter a word."

"OK, but why?"

Kenchi sat down beside her sighing as he did so. He then turned to face her again and started to speak. 

"You see Akane I am very good. But I am very good because I have paid a very high price. When I was six years old I found out about an ancient martial arts technique that magnifies the potential of a martial artist ten fold. I was taught this technique by one of my uncles in the hopes that I would succeed where he had failed. I almost lost my sanity thanks to that day. It was that technique that killed my father, and my grandfather. My uncle died as a result of the training too. I am the only one of my line who has learned it and survived. Because of this training though I had a very bad phobia. If my phobia was unchecked and I was exposed to that stimulation for to long I would start to act crazy. I would become very dangerous when I was like that. The only one so far who could ever bring me back to sanity was my grandmother. It is because of my phobia that I was first brought to my great aunt." 

"You must understand Akane my great aunt is very wise. Her first reaction when she had learned that I was trained in such a technique was fear. Then anger at the fool who taught me it in the first place at such a young age. If I was left as I was back then I would be still very dangerous if I was every over exposed to the trigger. You see back then I was not fully trained in the technique. My uncle only started the training through a manual that he found. My grandmother being one who knew the full training decided that I would have to be fully trained in order to protect others as well as myself."

"Through her efforts and that of my great aunts I now have a lot more control over the technique and myself. If others knew that I had such power they might try what was done to me on themselves or worse their students. That would be very dangerous. As I said I am the only one in my line who has survived the initial training. Even though I have control over it though there is still that chance that I might lose that control over my sanity. It is a very scary thought. I never want to hurt anyone. So I try not to get in to many fights that can be avoided. I will fight to help others, but not for my own personal gain. Or to prove that I am simply the best. I know in my heart how good I am. I do not need to beat up others to see that." 

"If others started to spread around how good I really am then I would get a lot of pointless challenges to fight for pointless reasons. I will admit this right hear and now Akane. I do not feel that fighting over something as pointless as to see who will go out with who is worthy of a true martial artist. A true martial artist will fight if there is danger to others. If there is a fight that is worth fighting for that is it. I would rather fight to protect my friends and family than to get a prize of a golden trophy, a title of the best there is any day."

"I am sorry if I am rambling Akane but it is an issue that is very important to me. That is why when I say that I could probably beat almost any master that is in Japan right now I do not want people to know about it."

"Are you truly that good?" Akane asked meekly.

"Yes Akane, I am that good. But being that good can be a hindrance as it is a great title."

"I guess I see your point." Akane looked closer into Kenchi's soft eyes. She found that while he was speaking she was drawn in to his voice. She found that she liked the way his sense of honor kept him at a point that he would never outright insult anothers art. If he was truly as good as he said he was then she wouldn't be even close to him in skill. Yet he never really insulted her in their sparing. All he did was push her to do better. To go beyond what she was right now. He didn't go out to just beat her. All he did was show her what she did wrong.

Akane felt stirrings inside that she had never felt before for this boy in front of her. Most boys were egotistical, obnoxious, immature, and hormone driven idiots. Kenchi had thrown that view out the window. He was showing a maturity that Akane had seen in very few others. Not even her father could match what she was seeing in this boy in front of her.

"I bet you have a lot of admirers after you Kenchi." Akane said out of the blue. "I can see how you could attract a lot of women to you."

Kenchi started to chuckle at that remark. His chuckle soon turned into a full-blown laugh. Akane looked at him strangely as he tried to control his laughter.

"Did I say something funny?"

"A…A…Akane Y…y…you don't understand how funny it is to me. You see because of my martial arts I was almost married to my cousin no less."

"What?!!" Shouted Akane her eyes growing as big as saucers.

"You remember that I said that my great aunt in the head of a tribe of these weird Chinese Amazons right?"

Akane nodded her head.

"Well one of their laws is that if a male is to defeat a female they are to marry them. Luckily I got out of it."

"How?" Akane asked very curios.

Kenchi got a worried look on his face when that particular question was asked. He then sighed and stood up. "Akane this is even a bigger secret than the one I told you before. It is not only a secret of mine to keep but that of many. For if word were to get around about this it could get very nasty."

Kenchi motioned Akane to follow him. Akane got up and followed Kenchi to where a fountain was placed near the center of the park. He then looked around to make sure no one was watching. After making sure all was clear Kenchi splashed himself with the water inside the fountain.

Akane gasped with surprise at what she saw. Where once stood the love of her life now stood a buxom red head with pouty lips and blue eyes. She was about two feet shorter than Kenchi and about half a foot shorter than herself. She was very shapely though. She was the type of girl that would make any guy turn their heads to get a look.

"Wh…wha…wha…what's going on?" Akane stuttered out. The shock written clearly on her face.

The girl that had replaced Kenchi looked up at Akane with sad eyes that cut through some of Akane's shock. The girl sighed and sat down at the edge of the fountain. She looked down at her lap a blank expression coming on to her face.

"Akane I will understand if you hate me now. She said in a depressed voice. I am used to it after all. No one really should be with a freak like me after all."

Part of Akane wanted to agree with the girl. Yet there was a stronger part of her that saw the girl before her as a person who needed a friend. Someone lonely who was reaching out. Who had put their trust in her. She berated herself for her foolishness. Akane herself had been in such a way herself. Wasn't it just this morning that she had been hoping to find someone to relate to, someone who was different from the norm. Now she was about to reject what she was hoping to find because she didn't understand it.

With a sigh Akane walked over and sat down by the sad looking red head. "So which are you?" Akane asked looking at the red head.

The girl looked at Akane, confusion crossing her face.

"Well, what are you a boy or a girl?"

"A boy," the girl said looking back at her lap. "A boy who happens to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water."

Akane again felt guilty of her first thoughts concerning the girl beside her. "It must really be hard on you with this…this…"

"Curse," said the girl with a sigh. "It's a curse, I've had it for about six years now."

"How did it happen?" Akane asked, her interest peaked.

"Do you really want to know?" Asked Kenchi looking at Akane in surprise.

"Yes," Akane answered smiling at the girl in front of her.

"Well when I was ten my grandmother took me to see my great aunt like we did every summer to train…"

(Authors Note: From here on the characters will be speaking Chinese.)

"Kenchi remember what I told you about upsetting Cologne. She is the elder of the tribe. A tribe of people with the women who are in charge mind you so please show her a bit of respect this time."

"Don't worry grandmother the old goat and I have an understanding. She teaches and I learn. It's been like that for the last four years grandmother. Just like how you train me in martial arts and my schooling grandmother." 

"Kenchi, when are you going to learn that people do not always like a smart mouth? You have to realize that the culture here is much different than ours. They have different rules and customs that can get you in trouble if you say or do the wrong thing."

"Oh don't worry grandmother. That is why I have you and the old ghoul here for. So I don't always stick my foot in my mouth."

That is a chore for my niece as well as for myself." Came a voice from up the path.

"Aunty Mummy!" Said Kenchi with a smile on his face.

"Who's a mummy?" Said the voice. Out from behind a rock jumped out a short old woman with long white hair. She wore a green outfit and was balancing on top of a large walking stick that was about two times her height.

"It is good to see you Aunt Cologne." Kenchi's grandmother said bowing to the old woman.

"It is good to see you too my dear. It has been to long a wait for your visit. I am especially excited to see you Dishwater."

Kenchi's grimaced when his aunt called him that. Just because of that one incident with that kitchen sink his aunt had since started to call him dishwater. That wasn't even his true amazon name either. Though he didn't like that name much better. Imagine having to be named after a certain brand of detergent.

"Well it is sure nice to see you to aunt prune face."

"I am sure Prune would not like that comment Dishwater."

"Oh yeah your right Prune doesn't even come close to looking as much of a mummy as you do aunty."

"One of these days boy you will learn it is I who will always be the superior here. You are two hundred years to young to match wits with me."

"Yeah I'm also missing the bandages to boot aunty."

Kenchi walked by the fuming amazon with his grandmother behind him shaking her head.

"Wait Kenchi," called Cologne before he walked to far ahead.

"Yeah aunty," he replied.

"You are not yet to go to the village young one. Niece please go it is time for Kenchi to be tested on his progress."

"But Aunt Cologne we just got here."

"Precisely, she said giving the old woman a hard stare. This way I get to see what the boy needs to ketch up on."

"I think you may be surprised Aunty. I personally think I have gotten better since last we met."

"Will shall see my boy."

"Ah very well I shall see you both back in the village." With that said Kenchi's grandmother gathered her things and made her way to the Amazon village.

Cologne and Kenchi both stood until she was out of sight. Then both of them began to laugh out loud at the troubled old woman.

"I think you are going to run her to an early grave my boy."

"You think so aunty? I know grandmother she is on though old bird just like you."

"Yes she is tough but she lacks my constitution. Any way we do need to get on with the test."

"You mean you really are going to test me now?"

"Now is as good as a time as any."

Kenchi smiled knowing what an honor it was for his aunt to test him as such. Usually she would wait until after the summer was almost up. Then she would put him up with one of the higher-ranking males in the village. He thought about the last one he had defeated. That had been last summer. The Amazon male had been one of the best in his generation. He also was a good friend of Kenchi's. 

For his aunt to test him herself though. It meant that he would finally be able to pit his skills against one of the best martial artist he had known. For a elder to test you was a major honor. For the best of the elders to test you was one of the greatest honors. Not only did it attest to his abilities, but also a fact that she was testing a male in itself was astonishing.

"Are you ready Kenchi?" She asked a smile on her face.

"Any time your old bones can get moving aunty."

As the fight started Cologne did find herself surprised at the skill of her great nephew. He had in fact surpassed many in the village. And at the age of ten he had even surpassed the abilities of the other elders of the tribe though they would not admit to it. It was by sheer force of will that she could even keep up with him. That is if she did not use her special skills. He had already learned the dance of the dragon technique. Not only that but he had found a counter for it in no time. It had been the same for the chestnut roasting on an open fire technique and the breaking point. All that was left for him was to learn to use his chi and then he could truly be spectacular.

Cologne found herself pressed back because of her lack of attention. The boy had indeed gained in skill over the winter. She backed off from him to gather herself from the hits she was taking from the boy.

"You are indeed skillful young one but let's see if you can handle something a little more complicated." Cologne started to circle Kenchi. Then as she circled she seemed to split herself into multiple reflections of herself.

Kenchi smiled at the old woman as she did this. Remaining perfectly still he allowed his senses to extend beyond himself. Searching for the aura in which all-living beings poses.

"Behold Kenchi a technique known only to few. The splitting cat hairs." Cologne then began to strike Kenchi using her cane. To her surprise each blow was deflected. She then noticed as she was circling the boy that he always kept his eyes right on her.

"Well aunty it seems that that technique didn't work to well. How about this? Katchu Tenshin Amurerican!" So surprised was the old woman that the boy actually detected her so fast that she wasn't prepared for the five hundred sixty four punches that connected with her in a single second. Being thrown out of her Cat Hairs technique. Cologne was only dazed for a second though. She realized that if she did not act fast she would lose. And for a amazon of her caliber to lose to a ten-year-old boy was disgraceful. Cologne again started to circle the boy. But this time instead of a circle she started to spiral around him. Kenchi followed her into the spiral, thinking he had her at the disadvantage.

"Hyru-Shouten-Ha!!!" Cologne shouted all of a sudden extending her fist in the air.

The next thing that Kenchi knew he was flying through the air in a tornado. The initial blow might have knocked a lesser man out. Kenchi on the other hand had been trained well and knew how to take such a blow. It was the fact that he was very high in the air and beginning to fall that worried him. He then saw that he was falling towards a valley of springs. He twisted himself so he would land in a spring to break his fall.

Cologne smiled as she saw Kenchi fly off. Then her smile turned into a frown as she saw how far he was up. Her frown turned into a look of horror as she saw where he was going to land. Cologne instantly took off after Kenchi hoping beyond hope that he would somehow miss the springs of Jusenkyo.

When Cologne reached the springs she instantly found the guide. He was looking around a look of confusion on his face. Spotting Cologne he walked over to her.

"Ahhh, elder Cologne of the Jusendo tribe of amazons. What brings you hear to the cursed springs of jusenkyo?"

"I am searching for my nephew. Has he fallen around here? He was hit in this direction."

"I heard a splash Cologne, but I have not seen no one or nothing come out of the springs once I made my way out here."

"You mean he hit a spring! Oh by the ancients no." 

"He may have drowned in one of the springs for all I know Cologne. No loss to you though right? After all he was merle a male."

The guide received a whack to the head for his comment. As well as a hard glare from Cologne's wizened eyes.

"That was no mere male guide." She said annoyed at the guides' presumptuous actuation. Her voice held a twinge of fear in it as she thought of the boy. Especially if he was truly lost. He was her niece's last hope for a heir of their version of the art. It was true that their family still had Shampoo but Kenchi had been so much more than her great granddaughter. It was frightening just how good the boy was. To lose him to the springs of jusenkyo would be heart breaking.

"Cologne!" Came a voice from behind the guide and the old amazon matriarch.

Cologne, along with the guide turned to see a red headed wet amazon standing in front of them.

"Yes, what is it child?" Asked Cologne trying to remember if she knew the girl.

The girls blue eyes grew dark as she viewed the two of them. "You will pay for what you have done to me Cologne." She said now starring at the old woman.

"What grievance do you have with me child?"

The young girl did not answer as she attacked the amazon matriarch. Cologne was surprised at just how good this young warrior was. The way the girl was fighting reminded her of Kenchi. Yet this red headed girl was much faster. The girl was also a bit more limber. She was a bit awkward though as if she did not know how to properly balance her own body. Cologne did not know of any other amazon village that knew of the techniques that this girl was performing. The stile in which the girl was using was too reminiscent of her own. Why with a little more balance training and practice the girl would be as good as Kenchi.

"Child I may be able to help you if you just explain to me what the grievance you have with me is. You look like an intelligent ten-year-old woman…"

"I am not a woman Aunt Cologne!!!"

"Kenchi, Cologne said with a gasp." Her eyes growing with astonishment, Cologne fell to her knees in shock.

The girl also fell to her knees mirroring the elder amazon. Her blue eyes filled with tiers of grief and sadness. 

"It took me a while to forgive my great aunt for that day." Kenchi said as she looked back to Akane. "The months that followed my transformation we very trying. Not only that but I also had to put up with not only the girls of the amazon tribe but also the boys."

"Is this how I hear about why you were almost married to your cousin?"

"Yes I guess it is. You see when I turned fourteen the village said I was eligible to be married. Meaning that a female could challenge me by their laws for marriage since I was now of age. They could have done it sooner but my great aunt kept them off my back with the training she put me through."

"So the amazons all came after you with the intention of beating you so they could marry you?"

"Not quite, You see for a female to marry a male the male must defeat the female in a challenge. So they were going to challenge me then lose. My cousin was the first to get to me with the challenge. I had to think fast. After all I did not want to get married so soon in my life. My grandmother agreed with me while my great aunt wouldn't have mind if I were to marry her great granddaughter. She relented though and allowed me to continue with the solution I came up with."

"What was the solution Kenchi?"

"Heh…all they had to do to challenge me was to defeat my sister first."

"I thought you said you were an only chilled?" Akane asked skeptically.

A big smile appeared on Kenchi's face when Akane asked her that. She then stood up and turned facing Akane.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Linchi adoptive sister of Kenchi." She said bowing to Akane.

Akane started to chuckle as she got what Kenchi was implying. "So in order to be able to challenge you they had to defeat your girl side first."

"Most of them thought that my girl side and my boy side were separate. My cousin was a bit upset that I would make such a statement since she knew about my condition. I could hear her curses for the next two nights the first time I beat her in my girl form. You see in their society a boy was not supposed to be as good as I am. To marry me would have been the best thing that could happen for any of the amazons. But in order to be beaten by my male side, which my cousin thought that she could beat, anyway they had to first defeat me in my girl side. My cousin found out very quickly just how good I was. Let's just say she wasn't too happy about it."

"How about the boys? Did they have to defeat your boy side in order to challenge your girl side?"

"There was no need to do that with the boys Akane. You see in order for them to be able to marry me they would have to defeat my girl side. Like I said before if a male defeats a female he is her bride. Well according to their laws at any rate. I don't like the fact that a first date to them is a fight to see if you will be married."

"I guess that wouldn't be much of a first date. How do you turn back to a guy then Kenchi?"

"Oh that's easy Akane. I just need some hot water to change back. The curse is water based you see. So with cold water I become Linchi, and with hot water I will turn back to Kenchi. Though I have found ways to protect myself from becoming Linchi most of the time."

"Oh how?"

"That Akane is a secret that I am not allowed to tell you. I wish I could but the methods involved have been to guarded by a lot of martial arts masters. I am sorry."

"Oh that's okay I guess. Could you change back now? I kind of like the other you to look at."

"Oh okay." Kenchi concentrated for a second then he reached into the fountain cupping his hands. He then dumped the water in his hands over his head. Changing from the read headed girl back into the dark hared boy that Akane had met earlier.

"That is going to take some getting used to." Akane said gazing at Kenchi.

"Just imagine if you were the one doing the changing Akane."

Akane shuddered at the thought of changing into somethig other than her own body. Like changing into a slug or a fly. Or like Kenchi changing into the opposite sex.

"I see your point." She said looking down into her lap.

Kenchi again sat by Akane on the fountains edge. "I'm sorry for depressing you Akane. I guess I shot off my big mouth again."

"It's all right Kenchi. After all I was being inconsierate of your curse." 

"It's all right Akane. I can admit you are the only one that hasn't walked off on me when I first revield the curse other than my great aunt."

"I thought you said that you had people chasing after you to marry you?"

"Most of them didn't know about my other half. The ones that did know shuch as my cousin and the twins did not treat me so kindly when they first found out. It hurts to be rejected by some of your closest friends. Luckly we made up about it. Unfortunatly my cousin decided that I would make a perfect husbend for her. Now that was interesting. When my best friend thought that I would make the perfect wife now that was a shock."

"And poor, poor Kenchi had to fight him off to make shure he stayed unwed." Akane chuckled out.

"I didn't just have to fight him Akane, I had to kick the crap out of him. The real thing that got to me though is that he seemed to enjoy getting beat up all the time he fought with me as Linchi. After each time I defeated him he would come ask me as Kenchi what my sisters weak points were so he could exploit them. Of course I never gave him any that would really work."

Kenchi looked at the sun as it began to set after its long treck through the sky. "It's getting late Akane. I would like to stay and talk more but I really must be going."

Akane took notice of the time and became worried. "Yeiks I didn't reallize that it was so late. Father and Kasumi probably have a serch party after me."

Well I will see you at school then Akane."

"Yeah and maby after school we can do this again."

"What, practice or talk?"

"Maybe both Kenchi."

Kenchi smiled at her and then turned to leave. Before he was out of earshot though Akane heard him say. "I would like that very much Akane. See you tomarow."

Akane had a great big grin on her face as she walked away from the park. She knew she had found someone special in Kenchi. She also reallized that she would never forget this day. It was all that she could hope for and more. She couldn't wait to see how her future turn out. (Hopefully it will have a lot more Kenchi in it.) She thought as she began to skip along to her home. Not an unhappy thought in her mind.


	2. Chapter 02

Chapter 2

Ok just to let you know these characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful lady who created them. They are also distributed by VIZ Video. I am not nor will not gain any money by writing this story. This story is just being written for fun that is all.

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Chapter 2

Here's Ranma?

In the time that Akane has spent with Kenchi they have grown inseparable it seemed. Nabiki being one to never like not knowing about someone had been growing more and more agitated as she continued to find very little on Kenchi. It was hard to even figure the guy out. Akane would almost always go out after school and do god knew what with him for hours it would seem like. Then she would come home tired yet always happy. They were considered an item at school now. Ever since Kenchi had quenched that crazy thing about the boys in school having to defeat Akane in order to date with her. Now only Kuno openly pursued Akane. He also found himself flying high over the sky via one of Akane or Kenchi's punches. 

That was one of the few fights that he would participate in actually. It was hard to get Kenchi to fight at all. After all, she would know she had set up quite a few. However, he would turn down all the challenges thrown his way. Hardly anything would get him to fight. There was only one thing that she had seen that would rile the young martial artist. That one thing was of course her sister. He never liked to see Akane hurt what so ever. If a tier would even begin to show in Akane's eye Kenchi would be on the offender like a hound chasing a fox. Of course, most of the time the person was Kuno. He would make her sister cry by telling her that the lowborn ruffian that was Kenchi was just using her as a conquest. A trophy in his trophy case. A notch on his belt. 

What was left over of Kuno after words like that, either from Kenchi or Akane was not pretty. There were days that she thought that Kuno would never recover from the injuries that he received. Not only did he recover though, but also he always seemed to come back for more. It was sad really. Kuno was handsome and best of all very rich. However, he had set his eyes on Akane and the mysterious sister of Kenchi's.

Now there was someone that begged to be spied on. This red headed girl came out of nowhere and is able to turn the heads of most of Furincan High School's students. Whether it is the boys out of lust, or the girls out of petty jealousy. Her beauty was very apparent even though she would dress like a boy most of the time. What she lacked in clothing style she made up for in natural beauty though. The girl was a knockout and then some. If she would apply herself and stop trying to look so much like her brother she could probably take any guy she wanted from the school. Of course she could probably do that already. 

Nabiki had tried to have her followed once or twice yet the girl was a master of evasion. At one point one of her assistants would be following the girl then she would all of a sudden run into the girl's brother Kenchi. That being the end of the chase. It was only through her sister that Nabiki had found out what that girl's name was. Along with the relationship with Kenchi. 

Linchi, she was a lot like her brother. Both dressing the same, and acting the same. It was almost like they were the same person. If it wasn't for Linchi's physical differences Nabiki would have said that the girl was probably Kenchi dressing up as a girl. Of coarse that was impossible. Linchi was much shorter than her brother was. The red hair she had was very real. Nabiki had gotten a sample of it after all. As well as some of her brothers. It was through those hair samples that one interesting fact came out. 

Akane had told her that Linchi was the sister of Kenchi through adoption. That on one of his trips to China his family had found her abandoned and alone. They had taken her in and later adopted her. Yet according to the hair samples that were sent in the two could have been related by blood. The both of them were a genetic match. It was strange in itself how that would come to be. According to the note she had received with the test results the doctors would have accused her of sending two hairs from the same person if it wasn't for the hair color. 

Nabiki was very deep in her thoughts when a knock came to her door. Nabiki turned up her head to the door in surprise. It wasn't often that someone would bother her when she was in her room. Her room had become her sanctuary from the others. And with her mercenary ways she was hardly ever bothered unless it was someone who needed to borrow money.

Come in, she said a gleam in her eye with the prospect of money making. That gleam turned into shock at the sight that entered her room. There stood Akane in a gold tight fitting sleeveless Chinese dress that was tide off at the waist with a white silk sash. The dress had a slit that went up the left side showing a fair amount of her leg. She had her hair tide back with a white bow and on her wrists were bracers like the type she would see Kenchi wear at school. The effect was breathtaking to say the least.

"So what do you think of the present Kenchi got me for our date this morning Nabiki?" Akane asked stepping into the room and closing her sister's door. "I knew not to confront Kasumi with it since you know how she acts so I wanted to get your opinion first. After all this will be our first official date. I still can't believe he actually asked me out on a real date not one of our sparring sessions."

The fact that Nabiki was shocked over the dress did nothing to help with her shock at those words. "He actually asked you out on a real date Akane?" She asked in amazement. Kenchi was very elusive he hardly ever went out. However, here he was taking her little sister out on her first date! And here she was not knowing a thing about it!

"Well do you think it looks good on me Nabiki?"

"Sis I think you will literally knock his block off with that thing you are wearing. So where is your mysterious boyfriend taking you today for you to have to wear a dress like that?"

"I'm not quite sure actually. He said it was a surprise. I hope I like it."

"Well sis I am sure that you will." Nabiki said with a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Although I don't think he will be paying that much attention to the date sis."

"What do you mean Nabiki?"

"What I mean is that in that outfit that you are wearing he will not be able to take his eyes off you."

"Do you really think so?" Akane asked as she blushed a bright red. Yet she made no move to change the outfit.

"Yeah I do think so. It would probably be better if you changed into something less daring sis." (So I can get my hands on the thing.) Nabiki thought still admiring the dress.

"It might be best if I do, but Kenchi gave it to me to wear. I wouldn't want to disappoint him." Akane said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Sis you aren't thinking of doing anything perverted with him are you?"

"Maybe a little." Akane said as her blush deepened. Yet a wistful smile also appeared on her face.

"And just how far is a little sis hmm?"

"Nabiki that's private!"

"Sis I am only looking out for your best interest here. I don't want you to do anything that you may regret later on." 

"Why would I regret kissing and hugging him Nabiki?"

"If that is all you intend to do then nothing."

"You don't mean that you thought I would have sex with him do you?"

"Well you are getting kind of close to him."

"Nabiki! Neither of us are ready for that step in our relationship. After all this is only our first official date. It's not like I am going to walk up to him rip this dress off and say take me here and now. Come on Nabiki I'm not like that."

"That is some picture you paint their sis. Have we been doing a little fantasizing here and there?"

"Nabiki!" Akane yelled her face getting even redder than it was previously.

"I'm just kidding around Akane." Nabiki said laughing at the way her sister looked. Then her face got a little more serious. "Akane do you really like him so much though?"

Akane got a far away look on her face when Nabiki asked her that. She then looked at Nabiki straight in the eye and said. " Nabiki he means more to me than anything. I don't just like him Nabiki I think I love him."

"Akane you are only sixteen years old. How can you know what love really is?"

"I know Nabiki. This is much stronger than what I felt with Doctor Tofu. I would do anything for Kenchi Nabiki, anything. I…would even die for him." Akane said in a whisper that Nabiki only barely caught.

"Akane he had better not break your heart. I doubt there would be much left of him if he did."

Akane smiled and straitened up. She turned to the door but not before saying something to her sister before she left. "You may be right in that assumption Nabiki, you may be right." Akane quickly left the room after that leaving a very flustered Nabiki behind.

"Oh sis how did you get such a good one?" Nabiki turned and laid herself down upon her bed. She grabbed one of her mangna that she always kept around and opened the cover. Yet she couldn't read the words that were printed on the inside, as they became more and more blurry.

Akane thought about her sister's words as she made her way to the park where she was to meet Kenchi. Would she actually go that far for Kenchi? To die for him when she had only met him just a few weeks ago. Or better yet would he do the same for her. She knew she loved him dispite her sisters doubts. The feelings she held for Kenchi were so much stronger than what she felt with Doctor Tofu. When Kenchi would touch her it felt as if her skin was on fire. While a touch from Doctor Tofu only gave her a tingle of pleasure. What scared her though was that Kenchi had that effect on her. She knew dispite what she said to her sister that if Kenchi asked she would give herself to him. He held her heart in his hands and she couldn't get it back. Just like a mouse caught in the sights of a cobra or a fish on the end of a line she was hooked. All Kenchi had to do now was just reel her in. It was funny but she didn't mind that. He had taken her emotions to hights that she could not believe. In his gray blue eyes she had found a peace that would not let go. She wondered if love was always like this. A feeling of being hopelessly lost to someone and not able to get back to the reality of the world around.

As she spotted Kenchi sitting waiting for her in the park as he usually did her heart began to quicken. He was wearing a red Chinese stile shirt with a dragon embroidered on it. As well as some dress slacks. All in all it made him look very handsome. He smiled at her when she got near making her heart beat even faster.

"Are you ready Akane?" He asked standing up in front of her. He looked her up and down as he stood admiring the dress that she was wearing. Akane blushed as he looked at her. His eyes boring into her with a passion.

"How do you think the dress looks Kenchi?"

"You look like a princess Akane. A very beautiful princess at that."

The blush on Akane's cheeks grew brighter at Kenchi's compliment. "So where are you taking me today Kenchi?"

The smile on his face grew as he quickly stepped up to her and picked her up. " That my lovely princess is a surprise." He said as he jumped onto a tree branch then to a nearby rooftop.

Akane nearly fainted by the excitement of it. One thing though she was sure of. If the date had more of him holding her then she was going to enjoy it immensely.

They made their way through the city passing buildings at very high speeds. Akane couldn't keep up with everything as the buildings flew by. Soon the buildings seemed to disappear and she found herself in the forest outside of the Nerima district. Here Kenchi stopped and set her down. Akane looked around and found that she was standing on the edge of a clearing. In the center of the clearing was a log hung vertically by two wooden poles staked deep into the ground. Surrounding the log were various people all of which seemed to have some sort of weapon on them. It was strange but they all wore some sort of Chinese outfit. There was an assortment of people around with so many odd looking weapons that Akane could not even guess how they would be used. Except maybe to just bludgeon the opponent somehow.

"We should find spots to stand the tournament is about to begin." Kenchi said as he took Akane's hand in his, and proceeded to walk into the clearing. He led her to a spot close to the suspended log. There they watched as two females got onto the log. A old lady suddenly jumped onto the center of the log and started to say something in Chinese that Akane could not understand. Suddenly she raised a walking stick into the air and brought it down jumping off the log in the process. All of a sudden the two females attacked each other. The fight took several minutes as the two combatants moved in a fascinating dance of attacks and perries that were so elegant that Akane couldn't keep her eyes off of them. One of the combatants used a pair of short swords while her opponent used a Bo staff. Akane could see the elegance in each move of the combatants while they kept their balance on the supported log. Soon the battle was over the loser falling off the log when the winner had hit her with the staff that she used. 

After the girl was named to winner she hopped backed up onto the log where another challenger awaited. While the other girls had been very beautiful this girl was very butch. The girl had two spiked maces in her hands. The old woman was again on the log holding up her staff and again brought it down while jumping from the log. 

The battle this time was not one of elegance as the one before had been. The girl with the maces was very brutal in her attack breaking the other girls weapon on the fist strike. The girl with the broken staff tried to defend herself as best she could but nothing was stopping the growtestly muscled girl. She came in hard and fast getting a good hit on the girls left shoulder. Akane could see the blood that came from the spike that had penetrated the other girls shoulder.

Akane turned to Kenchi and saw that he was frowning at the girl with the spiked maces. His displeasure evident on his face and in his eyes. Akane turned back to the battle and watched in horror as the girl with the spiked maces knocked the other girl again in her left shoulder which sent her off the log to the ground where she landed roughly.

Kenchi was by the girl's side in an instant. Checking her injuries and patching them up as quickly as possible. He also pulled a vile from his pocket and had the girl drink it. The girl soon fell asleep and Kenchi relinquished her to a woman that had come up by Kenchi observing his work. Kenchi then turned to the girl with the maces.

"You have dishonored the tournament!" He shouted to her. "Those weapons are poisoned which are not aloud by the rules of the tournament. You should be disqualified for such actions."

The girl hopped down from the log and looked down at Kenchi like he was pond scum. The glare she gave him would have sent any other man to his knees begging for forgiveness. Kenchi on the other hand did not even flinch. He sent back a stare that could make an ice demon feel cold. The stare itself made the girl back off on her position. She recovered as quickly as she could and pointed at Kenchi.

"You should shut your mouth male. What do you know of anything? You should not address your superiors in such a disrespectful tone."

"Fine if I see a superior I will respect them. Unfortunately I don't see any at the moment."

There was a collective gasp around as Kenchi said that. Akane looked worriedly around her as murmurs started to spread through the crowd. It was evident that the crowed was not happy with either one of the two fighters. None of them were in the position to attack though. Each kept their eye on the two, waiting to see what would happen next.

"I challenge you male." The maced warrior shouted out. "No one says such things to Wen-chu and gets away with it."

"Wench?" Kenchi asked the girl in front of him. "Didn't your sister lose the tournament in China about a month ago?" 

"What of it? Besides my name is Wen-chu not wench."

Whatever," Kenchi said as he faced the girl. "I will accept your challenge on two conditions."

"Oh and what are those conditions?"

"First of all this challenge can not be used for the kiss of marriage. The second is that when I win no others can challenge me after the fight is over."

The girl looked Kenchi up and down. Judging him it seemed to Akane as she watched from the sidelines.

"Very well then I accept your terms. This battle will not result in the kiss of marriage. However I can not speak for the others in the way of challenges."

The old woman from the log suddenly appeared in front of the two causing the girl to flinch. Kenchi however stood perfectly still as if he was expecting the woman.

"As the elder of this tournament I decree that no others shall challenge this youth after his bout with Wen-Chu." She turned to Kenchi, "and once this fight is over we may discuss the way you phrased that last sentence."

"Very well elder we just may." Replied Kenchi as he hopped up onto the log waiting for Wen-chu to follow.

After a second Wen-chu landed on the opposite side of the log from Kenchi. She attacked immediately not even waiting for the signal from the elder. She swung her mace directly at his head smiling in confidence as the deadly blow got closer to smashing the cocky male's head into pulp. Her smile was replaced with a look of confusion as her mace went through thin air. Her look of confusion was immediately replaced with one of pain as her extended hand erupted in agony. She screamed and dropped the extended mace. The other soon followed the first as her other hand erupted in pain also. It felt like a hundred hot needles were poking into each one of them. The girl did not have time to recover as she found herself tumbling end over end to the ground where she lay not being able to move at all.

There were gasps from all around the crowd as the girl was defeated so easily in only a few seconds. Not only was she defeated but by a male no less. The elder stood over the fallen girl in amazement not even moving an inch until Kenchi stood right in front of her.

She then looked at him a questioning expression on her face. "Where did you learn all that boy? And from who?"

"Most of my skills were achieved in China. I had two main sensais the first was my grandmother the second was Cologne leader of the Junsendo tribe of Amazons."

At this pronouncement the old woman's eyes grew wide with disbelief. "You are related to the elder Cologne?" The woman asked in disbelief.

"You might say that." Kenchi said as he eyed the women around him. They were giving him some very lecherous looks. He spotted Akane who was looking at him in confusion. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I got into that Akane. All I wanted to do was take you to this tournament on our date I didn't expect to become part of it." He said looking softly into her eyes.

Akane looked into his soft blue eyes and melted inside. " It's all right Kenchi after all you couldn't stand around and watch that cheater win. It would be…"

"Big Brother Kenchi!" A voice shout out from the crowd. The next thing Akane knew a little bundle of green had attached itself to Kenchi. Akane felt a bit of jealousy at the seen before her. Then the words caught up to her. "Big Brother Kenchi?" She asked of the flustered martial artist before her.

Kenchi was just plain shocked into silence until the girl that was currently using him as a stuffed toy looked up into his face. "Lung-Lung?" He asked his voice becoming humorous.

"Yes, is good to see Big Brother Kenchi. What surprise meet here of all places." She said letting him out of her glomp.

Akane looked upon the young girl as she backed away from Kenchi. The girl was around nine or ten years old with red ankle tied pants with a blue yellow trimmed top. Which had a red heart on it. It was tied off at the waist with a white sash. The girl had green hair tied into a single bun on the back of her head with two locks hanging down in front of her ears. Looking at the girl's expressive blue eyes Akane couldn't help but to think of how cute the girl looked.

"Why are you here Lung-Lung, and where is your sister Ling-Ling?" Kenchi asked looking around for her.

"Ling-Ling back in village. She get sick from too too bad cold. Could not come see overseas tournament like Lung-Lung. She be so mad when Lung-Lung tell her she see Big Brother Kenchi at tournament."

"Big Brother Kenchi?" Akane said getting his attention.

"Oh where are my manners. Akane this is Lung-Lung an amazon sister of mine. Lung-Lung this is Akane a very special friend of mine."

"Kenchi have girlfriend?" Asked Lung-Lung in surprise. Akane could also detect a hint of sadness in the girl's voice. "You might say that." Kenchi said with a bit of a smirk.

The girl turned to Akane looking her up and down "How you defeat Linchi. You no look like you can."

Akane smiled at the girl knowing what she meant. After all Kenchi had told her some of the laws of the amazons. Especially the one that concerned marriage to an outsider. And how she could get around the kiss of death if she were to ever defeat an amazon. Akane crouched down near the young amazon whispering in her ear.

"I snuck up on her while she was taking care of a boy trying to glomp her and hit her on the head with a mallet."

Lung-Lung's eyes grew big then she went over to a tree and proceeded to bang her head against it.

"Why we not think of that?" She said while continuously hitting her head against the tree.

"We had better get going Akane." Kenchi said seriously. " While the elder did say that no other would attack me I don't quite trust the looks on some of the faces of the girls around here."

Akane looked around and noticed the lecherous looks of the girls surrounding them. She looked at Kenchi and nodded at him. He then picked her up in his strong arms and proceeded to disappear with her in the forest. Akane held on to him enjoying the warmth of his body so close to hers. She couldn't believe how right it felt being in his arms. All to quickly to Akane Kenchi was setting her down on the soft grass of the park that they had left from. Akane looked up into his eyes still holding her arms around his neck. Not quite wanting to let go of the boy in her arms.

"Akane?" He asked as he looked into her eyes getting lost in the love and passion that he saw in her big dark brown eyes.

"Kenchi I had a good time." Akane said never taking her eyes off of him. She brought herself closer to him willing him to go that extra step to bring their lips together in a sweet caress. She closed her eyes hoping beyond hope that he would take that step. She felt an electric shock go down her spine as she felt his lips touch hers. It was so wonderful. All too soon he pulled away from her. His caring blue gray eyes boring into her.

Kenchi then stepped back from her. He turned his back to her as his back stiffened. Akane was frightened by his actions. (Have I moved to fast? Oh please don't push me away Kenchi please.)

Kenchi then turned back to her a look of determination on his face. "Akane, I know we have only known each other for a short time but I need to say this." He let out a sigh closing his eyes and then opening them again staring right into hers. "Akane you may reject me after I say this but I love you. Please don't say anything yet. As I said I know we have only known each other for a short time but I already know I couldn't live my life without you." Kenchi then got down on one knee never taking his eyes off of hers. "Akane someday in the future would you consider marrying me?" 

Saying this he pulled out the most beautiful ring Akane had ever laid her eyes on. It was gold with a phoenix and a dragon woven around each other up into the biggest diamond Akane had ever laid her eyes on. She looked up from the ring and into his eyes. The fear and apprehension were clearly showing there. A million thoughts sprang to her mind of the pros and cons of what he was offering. Even though her mind was in such turmoil she knelt on both knees in front of him, and took the ring. The word yes springing to her lips.

The sheer joy on his face as the word came out of her mouth was enough to send any doubts she had out the window. He then took the ring back from her then slipped it onto her finger. Then pulled her in for another kiss. This one lasting for much longer than the last one. 

When they separated again due to lack of oxygen Kenchi again began to speak. "Akane I know we have a long way to go before we could even get married but I love you so much. I have never felt this way towards anyone."

"Oh Kenchi I know what you mean. Of coarse I'm not quite ready to get married quite yet. We're only sixteen after all. I would like to wait until after we have graduated first." She said with a chuckle. Her face then took on a look of shock of what she had agreed to. More importantly what her family would think of what she agreed to. "Kenchi there is a condition to this though."

The fear in his eyes was unmistakable to miss. He had always let his emotions show to her. She quickly spoke to reassure him. "I mean you haven't even met my family yet. And I haven't met yours yet either. Now that I am your fiancée you have no excuse to not come to the dojo. I would also think that your family would like to meet me to."

"Oh…um…Akane…you see there may be a problem with you meeting my aunt. You see she gets kind of protective of me. I sometimes wonder if she would like me to stay single forever and not see anyone at all. It was all I could do to convince her that her baby nephew needed to go to school."

"What do you mean Kenchi?" Akane asked looking at him in confusion.

"Well you see Akane. Her son died at a young age and I am her only family left after my uncle died a few years ago so she gets a bit protective. She doesn't want to see anything happen to me you see. Even though it seems she is smothering me with her protective ways." He sighed and sat down on the ground. "Akane I love her very much but it is hard to live with someone that is constantly trying to push you down. A person like that never really lets a person fly like they can. My aunt is a good woman but I am afraid that she will not let me be who I truly am. Or let me be with the person I truly wish to be with." 

"I think I understand how you feel Kenchi. My father is a lot like that. After all you saw how I was before you started to train me. In a way my father was training me to become dependent on another. Never allowing me to be what I know I could be someday. Yet he douse it by loving to much. I guess he needs to see that there is a time that he needs to let go. It is the same with your aunt Kenchi. But also you need to make her see that you must be let go of. 

She leaned in again and kissed him gently on the lips enjoying the sensation of it. "Kenchi I love you so much." She breathed into his mouth. She hugged herself tight into him. "The only question now is when are you coming over to meet my family baka?"

Kenchi smiled as he held her close. He couldn't believe he had found someone like Akane. He knew he had made the right choice. He just hoped his aunt felt the same. "Akane, after school tomorrow I will come over and meet your family OK? I can't do it today though. This afternoon I am going to explain you to my aunt."

"It will be all right Kenchi. I'm sure she will understand. Just like my father will have to understand. We will make them understand. No one or no thing will take you away from me Kenchi. I won't allow it."

Kenchi released Akane from their embrace cupping his hand on her face. "Until tomorrow then my lovely Akane. I will see you at school. I love you Akane. I always will." He kissed her one last time then turned to go. "Oh by the way before I leave did I tell you how beautiful you look in that dress?" With that said he walked out of her sight.

The smile on Akane's face grew wider as she turned to go home. So giddy where her thoughts that she didn't even pay attention to the rain that started to fall. She started to hum to herself as she walked out of the park towards her home. She was so oblivious to her surroundings that she didn't even pay attention to the girl and a panda fighting in the middle of the street. After all she needed to tell her family she was getting married.

The rain was letting up as Genma fought with the girl in front of him. Why couldn't the child see that this was for his own good? True they were in an awkward position as it were. After all it isn't every day that a normal Japanese man can turn into a panda with but a splash of cold water. Not to mention a boy that will turn into a girl.

"I ain't gon'a do it pop. There is no way that I will be engaged to someone I don't even know. We shouldn't even be worrying about that in the first place." The girl said while throwing punches at the panda. "We should get back to China and find a cure." The girl said turning around. The next thing the girl saw was darkness as the panda hit her on the head with a stop sign.

The panda then through the petite figure of a girl over his shoulder. He noticed people looking at him with the girl over his shoulder in a confused bafflement. He let out a roar to each side of himself making the pedestrians watching him and the girl start on their way in a hurry to get away from the strange animal. What did he care any way?

(Soun my old friend I know you will take care of us in our time of need.) He thought as he walked along towards his friend's dojo. (If only this had not have happened then I would be able to show the boy to…) He trailed off at that thought for he had done something truly dishonorable. Was he so shallow as to make this boy go through with the promise he made with his friend. (It is a matter of family honor. He must marry one of Soun's daughters. After all he is my son.) Genma thought solemnly. His wife also knew the promise itself. 

His wife, what would she think of the events that had occurred after his parting? He knew he would be a dead man. No, she could never find out about his ultimate failure. She would never forgive him. It was truly known to him how much she loved her son. The only reason she had relented in giving Ranma over to him for the training trip was in the aspiration that he could make the boy into a great man. Not only that but a man amongst men. 

It was so hard though. First with his failure with that ultimate technique and the other mishap because of it. Then with the stealing and cheating. Now with the curses it would be a miracle if his wife would even let one word get out of his mouth before beheading him. 

Of coarse that is if his plan didn't work. All he had to do was to get the boy married to one of Soun's daughters. Freeload as long as he could. Make sure his wife would never find them. Then his life was set. After all, the boy didn't need a mother. The boy probably didn't even know who his mother was. No, his wife could not see the boy as he had planned. 

It was mere luck that he had found the agreement in the first place. Why couldn't he back it up? Soun was honorable as far as he knew. As a plus after his wife had passed away she had left him with but only three daughters. Without an heir to the dojo it could not carry on. Of coarse not that he would be able to provide that heir he would be able to live freely within Soun's protection. That would mean that his good friend would also keep him protected from those that were after him. Like that annoying amazon for instance. How were they supposed to know the food was the prize for the tournament? (Oh well it is most likely that we lost her anyway.) He thought as he continued on his way.

Soun had tiers in his eyes as he read the post card over again. Finally his friend was on his way with the son that would one day marry one of his little girls. Finally the agreement would be fulfilled and he would finally get his heir to the school. 

Looking at the post card Soun thought about whom would be the most likely bride for the boy. Kasumi was the most motherly of the trio. She was sweet and kind. She had a lot of her mother in her. Except for maybe the temper that her mother would show at times towards him. However rare it was to see it was great. Kasumi did not have that. She would make a perfect wife. Yet she was already nineteen years old. Much too old for a sixteen year old boy. 

Nabiki was more his age. At seventeen she was becoming every bit the woman her mother had been. Where Kasumi had gained her mother's talents for the duties of the housewife Nabiki gained her mothers looks combined with the talent for finance. It was a good trait for that of a son that was going into business yet not for a daughter. She was much too independent at times. The girl was undoubtedly very beautiful but her mannerism needed to be improved. The girl even blackmailed him not to long ago. Nabiki was one that would need a man that could control her. This match could be what she would need. Of coarse for right now her ways of making money made her happy. He always wanted to make his girls happy.

Akane was another choice in this matter. She was the same age and did share an interest in the art. However her interest went way too far. She was training like she was the one that would take over the dojo. It was of coarse the job of a male heir to take it over. Hopefully that would be his friend's son. Akane seemed to let her emotions run rampant. It was all to often that he would get in the way of the girls all too violent temper. It was his fault he knew. All the years training her even in the basic parts of the art were wrong. He should have kept her with Kasumi. That way he would have had two of his children to cook and clean for him. Plus be the housewives they should be. Yet now it seemed it was to late for Akane. 

Of coarse she had mellowed in the last few months. He had heard of her fighting boys at school. It was an interesting idea. That is why he had not stopped the challenges before. The girl needed a man with initiative. She had scared him with that tale that she was seeing a boy before hand, but he knew better. After all if she had been seeing this boy he would have seen him by now. The boy was probably used to give him a jump of sorts. To make him notice her more. She really shouldn't need to though.

With the arrival of his friend's son it would be what his daughter might need to get into the housewife status that she belonged in. Both of his younger daughters in fact. As Soun thought about it more he began to realize that it might be a good idea to engage the other daughter as soon as this engagement was finalized. He would have to look into that. Of coarse he would have to tell the girls of the original engagement first. He reread the post card first going over what had made him so happy. 

__

Dear Soun.

I am returning from china. Am brining Ranma.

Saotome

He first yelled into the kitchen where Kasumi was busy with her chores. "Kasumi!"

"Yes father?" Came her gentile reply.

"Come here Kasumi there is something I need to discus with you and your sisters." 

With that said he ran up the stairs to his middle daughter's room. He opened the door to find Nabiki reading one of her magna she always had. He wondered what was in them she found so interesting? (It must be one of those romance ones?) He thought as he noticed tiers on her cheeks.

"Nabiki come down stairs there is something important I must speak to you girls about."

"What is it daddy?"

"We will soon have some guests over. I will explain as soon as I find Akane" 

Soun then turned and headed for Akane's room leaving Nabiki alone to think. Especially if there was a cute boy on the way that her sisters couldn't get their hooks into.

Soun arrived at Akane's bedroom door and opened it calling her name. "Akane!" He noticed that the room was empty. He had thought sure that his daughter was in her room. "Where could that girl be?" He thought out loud as he looked around the house for his missing sixteen-year-old daughter. He ran into Nabiki coming out of her room.

"Nabiki please help me find your sister I can't think of where she could be."

"Oh, Akane is…" Nabiki started but was interrupted by someone calling from the front door.

"I'm home!" Came Akane's voice as Soun turned to the stairs and started for the living room to greet his daughter. Nabiki turned to go back in her room to get into something more presentable for their guests. She hoped one was a cute boy that she could have.

Akane had just avoided getting drenched by the rain on her way home. She couldn't believe how spaced out she had been after Kenchi had proposed to her. She had been lucky that the rain was short and did nothing more than getting her skin a little damp. Walking into the family room she was immediately ransacked by her father as he came running down the stairs. He was wearing the biggest smile she had seen on him for a long time. That smile soon turned into a look of shock as he got a good look at her. 

"A…a…a…Akane w…w…wha…"

"Where was I daddy? I was on a date with Kenchi. You won't believe what happened. I have some great news daddy."

"It seems today is the day for news Akane." Nabiki said coming down the stairs in one of her dress up kimonos. "Daddy has some news for us too. Don't you daddy?"

Soun came out of the shock of seeing his daughter in such an outfit and looking like the way she did made him want to lock her up from any boy who came in hearing distance of her. Kasumi then entered the room and got a look at Akane's attire.

"Oh My! Akane you didn't go out in that did you?" Kasumi asked eyeing the dress and the way it clung to her body.

"Yes I did Kasumi." Akane said in a flat voice. Then she smiled at her family. "Kenchi really liked it to when we went out on our date."

Soun saw that Akane was again trying to gain attention to herself so he forestalled any arguing that may have started between the two sisters. "Akane I am sure the details of your date are interesting but I have some important news for the three of you. So if you would all sit down I will begin." 

The three Tendo daughters did as their father had implied and sat at the dining room table. They then looked to their father on what this meeting was all about. "Well then…" He started as he sat before his three daughters. "The reason that I have gathered you all here is to inform you that one of you will be getting a fiancée today."

There was a brief pause then the cry of "Fiancee!" Came from the lips of one of his three daughters. Soun was surprised that Akane had not reacted as her sister as he believed she would be the most apprehensive on this subject. 

"Yes the son of a very dear friend of mine will be arriving. His name is Ranma."

"Oh my, is he an older boy father? Young men are so young."

"Hold on Kasumi." Nabiki said getting the attention off of the boy's age. "Maybe he's cute. Well daddy what's this Ranma like?"

Soun glanced at his three daughters. Both Nabiki and Kasumi were looking at him expectantly while Akane was admiring her left hand for some reason. It was of no concern though. Soun stood and turned from the three and with a chuckle said. "I don't know. I've never met him."

"You mean you engaged one of us to someone you have never met?" Nabiki said flatly.

"Well, he is a martial artist who has been on a long ten year training journey spanning from Japan into China."

"Oooooo China." (Well traveled that's usually a good sign.) Nabiki thought as her face brightened.

"So he's been to China. Big deal so has Kenchi." (I wonder how tough this boy is? Maybe I could use that aura reading trick Kenchi taught me on him. That is if he hasn't learned to suppress his ki as Kenchi has.) Akane thought as she again gazed at her engagement ring adoringly.

All of a sudden a commotion was heard coming from the front door. With a voice yelling, "Put me down old man, I aint going through with this." 

"Oh, we have guests." Kasumi said getting up to answer the door.

Nabiki was quicker though as she hurriedly got up and raced to the door saying. "Oooooo it must be Ranma."

Soun was a half a second behind his middle daughter as he to raced to the door saying. "Genma my old friend!"

"I do hope he is older than me." Kasumi said walking in the direction that her sister and father had disappeared. Akane followed behind a frown on her face. 

Suddenly Nabiki and Soun came racing back around the corner. Stopping in front of Akane and Kasumi. Both very startled as they turned back towards the way they had come. The object of their fright came around the corner soon afterward. Akane's eyes grew wide as a giant panda came into sight carrying a person over its shoulder. 

"Would you quit it! You're scaring them!" The person screamed unhappily.

The panda stopped right in front of them as it picked the person off of its shoulder and placed him/her on his/her feet on the floor. All four of the Tendo's stared at the person before them. The person was about the same height as Akane with short blond hair. Though he was a bit curvy to be a boy. He wore a green Chinese shirt with loose black ankle tied pants. The most noticeable feature on him was his hard green eyes. The way they looked at you, and made you feel small.

"Y…y…y…you wouldn't be…?" Soun started as he gazed at the person before him.

"Yeah I'm Ranma Saotome." He said crossing his arms over his chest and staring Soun in the eye.

"Oh he is cute." Nabiki said trying to get over her earlier surprise.

"We are so happy that you are here!" Soun cried out as he took Ranma into his hands. His joy was soon replaced by confusion as he got a good feel of the person in front of him. He knew he couldn't be feeling what he was feeling. He took Ranma at arm length and got a good look at the person in his arms. It was Nabiki who was poking at Ranma's chest who made the problem clear to all.

"Daddy Ranma's not a boy, he's a girl." She said looking at the girl's smaller chest. For even though they were small they were still noticeable.

It was too much for Soun as the room began to spin around him. Seeing the group around him as he collapsed into darkness.

Ranma was about to spout off and leave these [to him] losers when he noticed the other two girls in the room. One he didn't really care about. She was the homemaker type that he had always found to be easy. Always ready to be the subservient housewife that will try to please you every chance you get. He really didn't like those type of women since they were the ones who tried to sneak their way into controlling you the most. No, it was the girl standing right to the side of her that caught his attention. She was the epiphany of beauty to him. The yellow Chinese dress that seemed to meld to her glistening skin. Her dark long hair perfectly matching her beautiful hazel brown eyes. Eyes that shown with fire and spirit. Ranma knew in that instant that he wanted her. If it was for the honor of the family it would make it just an added bonus.

Ranma quietly followed the girls as they carried their father into the family room. Sitting at the table and admiring the view of the girl he would take as his bride.

"Poor father, he must be so disappointed." Kasumi said placing a damp cloth on her fathers' head.

"Poor father!" Nabiki, [who had changed into a T-shirt and jeans] shouted out, her anger getting to her. "How about poor us? Look at this, what a disappointment. Don't you know the difference between a boy and a girl daddy?"

"I assumed my friend Genma's son was a boy." Soun mound out weakly from the floor.

"A boy! Douse this look like a boy to you daddy? Well, douse it?" Nabiki asked as she grabbed one of Ranma's breasts.

Ranma slapped her hand away while saying. "Stop that! How would you like to be grabbed in that way?"

Akane was about to chastise her sister when Ranma had slapped her hand. Akane frowned at the girl as Nabiki rubbed her sore hand. It was wrong of Nabiki to grab the girl's breast, but it was also wrong for the girl to slap her sister's hand. That the girl was supposed to be a great martial artist was but another reason the girl should have refrained from hitting her sister. Just pushing her hand away would have been enough. Yet to slap her sister so hard was unforgivable.

"Hi, my name is Akane." Akane stated standing up and offering her hand to the blond hared girl. "I heard that you study martial arts. Would you like to spar?"

Ranma assessed the girl in front of him. She moved with grace and power. He wondered if she was any good at martial arts. (Probably not wearing that dress and all.) He thought as he nodded and stood a smirk on his face.

Akane didn't like the smirk on the girl's face as much as she liked the fact that the girl had hit her sister. Akane led her to the dojo not bothering to change out of the dress given to her by Kenchi. (Kenchi fights in his good cloths so why can't I?) She thought as she opened the dojo doors. Paying the proper respects to the shrine inside she stepped inside and waited for Ranma to enter. 

Unnoticed by either Nabiki crept up to watch the match. She had been angry that the strange girl had slapped her so. No one did that to her, and got away with it. Nabiki was hoping that Akane would take out the upstart girl. (She deserves a good beating for what she did.) Thought Nabiki settling down in the shadows. The battle that Nabiki thought she was going to see was not what she saw though. She expected Akane to just rush Ranma right off the bat getting a fast knock out. Yet all Akane did was wait for Ranma to make the first move. This was very interesting to Nabiki. As far as she was concerned Akane was always the aggressor. (When did Akane become so patient?) Nabiki wondered to herself.

Ranma was growing impatient. (This girl was the one who wanted to spar. So why doesn't she attack?) He thought as he waited. He started to fidget a little as he waited. A fact that Akane took in almost instantly as she stood there as he was. All to soon Ranma made an attack striking out with a quick jab that he thought would put the girl down. His thoughts were thrown into confusion though as the girl was not where he through the punch. He barely countered the punch thrown at him as Akane started an attack of her own. Back and forth they went as Nabiki watched unable to believe the level of skill that was being displayed in the mach. Not only by the new girl Ranma but also by her sister. 

(Akane has never been this good. Has Kenchi's training really improved her skills so much?) Nabiki thought as Akane and Ranma battled their way around the dojo. Ten minutes later the two separated each facing each other breathing rather hard.

"Y…y…your not half bad." Ranma breathed out as he eyed Akane.

"You're not to bad yourself." Akane said back not taking her eyes of the blond hared girl for an instant. As she had said the girl was good. Ranma was getting her hits in that was for sure. Yet Ranma didn't have the power that she herself had. Noticing the way the girl was breathing Akane thought that the girl didn't have the same endurance either. She could probably wear her down in a while yet in doing that she left herself open to a mistake. Akane recognized the girl's experience. The girl was adapting in much the same way that Kenchi was teaching her to do. (In another few minutes the girl will probably have my rhythm down. I need to win this) Akane thought as she circled Ranma.

Ranma was having thoughts of his own in this regard. (Man who knew that a chick could be that fine and is this good at martial arts.) He thought as he watched her circle. He began to pace her step for step as he watched for an opening in her defenses. (The girl may be good but she is not as good as I am. After all I am the best.) He thought as he leapt to attack Akane again.

Nabiki was shocked as the minutes flew by and no victor seemed to be in sight with the two female fighters. Back and forth they went as fists and feet flew over and over again at the two opponents. The fight itself a thing of beauty. She wished she could have sold tickets to the event itself. After thirty minutes or so Nabiki saw the two separate again. Both were extremely winded and were breathing hard. Suddenly Ranma lunged at Akane. Akane dodged the attack but the wall behind her got a noticeable hole in it. Akane was quick to retaliate and landed a well-placed punch to Ranma's gut. The two then stood looking at each other. Then the both of them fell to their knees at the same time. The both of them to exhausted to continue.

"W…w…w…what do you say we call this one a draw." Akane breathed out looking at her blond hared opponent.

"Yeah I guess it was." Ranma responded getting her breath back.

"That was incredible!" Nabiki replied from the sidelines startling the two.

"Nabiki, how long have you been there?" Akane asked as she got back to her feet.

"The whole time you two have been going at it. I had no idea how much you had improved Akane. Your sensai couldn't be that good could he?" 

"He a very good martial artist and a good teacher. I'm sure if you asked him nicely that he could even teach you a few things Nabiki."

"You know I'm not into that sort of stuff sis. Besides I don't think you would give him time to train me anyway." Nabiki said with a smirk on her face observing the blush that formed on her sister's face.

Before any more could be said Kasumi's voice called from the house. "Akane, Nabiki, Ranma diner will be ready soon. Please come in and wash up first will you?"

"Well I'm going to go and take a bath first." Akane said while walking out of the dojo. Leaving Nabiki and Ranma alone together.

"Well that was interesting. Come on Ranma I'll show you your room and then you can take your bath." 

"Uh…um…yeah sure why not?" Ranma said while following Nabiki out of the dojo. His thoughts occupied by the beauty of Akane. He wondered if he should just take her tonight after he changed back. Or if he should wait a few days until she had actually started to get to know him. With his girl form it was easy to get into their private lives. That is if his old man didn't screw it up like he always did. One thing was for sure though to him Akane Tendo would be his.

Akane got out of her bath and dressed quickly, as she was hungry from skipping lunch to get ready for her date with Kenchi. As she was exiting the washroom door Ranma came in surprising her.

"You're done already?" Ranma asked having a disappointed look on her face, which was a little disturbing to Akane.

"Yeah, all I needed was to clean off and a little soak. Besides dinner is almost ready. Hurry up you don't want to be late for one of Kasumi's meals." With that Akane left Ranma to her bath. On her way down the hall Akane ran into Nabiki who looked as if she was going to take a bath as well.

"Nabiki, I thought you already took a shower earlier?"

"I did but watching you and Ranma spar even got me all sweaty. So I figured as long as there's a bath ready already I might as well take one. I thought you would be in there already sis?"

"Oh, I already took mine."

"So fast? You were in there for only ten minuets sis."

"I know but I really don't need a long soak today. Besides I am hungry and want to be early to dinner."

"Ha, you know Kasumi sis. She won't serve dinner until every one is there anyway."

"Well maybe I can get a early dinner snack then since I know how long you take in the bath sis." Akane laughed out as she started past her sister. Earning a swat on her tush from her sisters' towel. "Owe!" Akane said with a smile, as the swat didn't really hurt.

"Humph well maybe I like long soaks sis." Nabiki said walking towards the bath. Akane didn't miss the smile on her face though. Akane couldn't remember when she had a day so filled with good cheer. Her thoughts grew in cheer as she proceeded to the kitchen for a snack before dinner.

Nabiki smiled on her way to the bath. It was a long time since she had seen her sister so happy. To think it was because of a boy was a testament of how love can take away most pain in a person's life. Nabiki's smile grew sad as she thought of another couple that had shown the same kind of love as her sister now was showing. She was younger then and the hurt and pain were still hard to get rid of. She had thought that a person could just seal off their emotions and then be protected from the hurt of betrayal. Like what had happened in their past. Yet seeing her sister she realized that if you closed yourself off you could never feel the pleasure either.

With a sigh Nabiki realized that she was jealous of the love her sister had received from Kenchi. She found that she wanted that love for herself. She wanted to have his gray blue eyes look into hers with the same sort of longing that she had seen for her sister. She suddenly stopped and realized that she truly did want Kenchi. She thought that she had protected herself from that sort of thing. Yet she had not for in Kenchi she had seen her sister become her happiest. For that she loved Kenchi above all ells. For she loved her sisters more than anything in the entire world did. 

(Is that why I love him so much? Because he can bring such joy and happiness to my sister?) She thought as she opened the changing room door. She noticed Ranma's cloths lying in a pile off to the side. (Oh well maybe we can talk a bit.) Nabiki thought as she stripped off her cloths and undergarments. 

She then opened the bathing room door to see a naked boy getting out of the bath reaching for the cold water.

They both stood in their positions for a few seconds Nabiki with a towel around her shoulders and the boy with nothing on at all. Then Nabiki calmly looked down towards the floor. Took a step back closing the bathroom door. She then put on the T-shirt she wore earlier that hung a bit past her thighs covering the most important areas. She then stepped out of the changing room closed that door. Took a breath then screamed.

Down in the family room Akane, Kasumi, Soun and another man sat looking towards the stairs. "What was that?" Asked Akane as she started to get up. All of a sudden Nabiki came running down the stairs still screaming her head off. She stopped behind Akane.

"Akane you've got to beat him to a pulp. Make him pay!" Nabiki said shoving Akane forward.

"Who?" Akane said confused by her sister's actions.

"The pervert that is in the bath of coarse. The one…" Nabiki was interrupted by a cough. The family turned to see a boy wearing the same clothes that the girl Ranma had worn on her way to the bath. He had short dark hair and stood at about a little over a foot above Akane. Just a little taller than her Kenchi in fact. He wore a scowl on his face directed towards Nabiki as the girl had done earlier when Nabiki had grabbed her breast before she had slapped Nabiki's hand away. In fact the girl's eye's looked exactly like the boys did in front of her. A suspicion formed in Akane's mind made stronger by the words the boy spoke next.

"To get this straight I am Ranma Saotome." He said crossing his arms in front of his chest. "If we could sit we might as well explain ourselves." Ranma said motioning to the man 

"Let me guess Jusenkyo right?" Akane asked receiving shocked looks from those starting to sit at the table. Two because of her knowledge of the springs. The rest because of her calm disposition on the matter. 

"You know of the place?" Ranma asked even more impressed by the girl next to him.

"Yes I have had some study on it. Though I haven't been there myself I know some Chinese Amazons who have." Ranma visibly cringed at the mention of the Chinese tribe. "I see you know of them." Akane said noting Ranma's reaction. 

"Sort of." Ranma stated flatly.

"Well any way." Akane started turning to her family. "Jusenkyo is a valley in China filled with thousands of cursed springs. Let's see if I remember this right. Who ever falls into a spring will take the form of whomever or whatever drowned in that particular spring last when doused with cold water. But will change back to his or her original form when doused with warm or hot water. Did I get that right?" 

"Um…yeah, I guess you did." Ranma said impressed by Akane's knowledge. He was a bit disappointed though that she had changed her outfit into a gi instead of the dress she was wearing earlier. Though if he had his way she wouldn't be wearing anything at all by tonight. A grin came to his face as he thought of getting Akane into some interesting positions.

"What are you smiling about pervert?" Nabiki asked eyeing Ranma with a suspicious look. She didn't like the boy one bit. She especially didn't like the look he was giving her sister.

"Hmm how to explain about us?" The older bald headed man with glasses wearing a white gi and a bandanna covering his baldhead started. "Oh I know." He picked up Ranma and through him in the pond.

"Stupid old man why did you do that!" Ranma shouted as he climbed out of the pond now the female blond the others had seen before.

"Now…he's a girl." Kasumi stated eyeing the blond as she stared at the girl sitting in the pond.

"Oh the humiliation that a father must suffer. Such a disappointment you have become to your father boy."

"Your one to talk old man." Ranma stated as he dumped a bucket full of pond water on his father. The two began to fight in the back yard as the Tendo's looked on.

"You have some interesting friends father." Kasumi stated as she walked up behind her father. Who was watching the two Saotome men fight. Though the both of the Saotome's did not look like the men they were at that time.

"They were not always like this. Not since that fateful trip to China. Let them come back to themselves and then we will let them explain shall we?" Soun said as he continued to watch the two fight.

Later the group was again seated at the table each family staring at the other. It was Genma now male who broke the silence. "Two months ago Ranma and I swam to China. While there we visited many areas meant for the improvement of martial arts training. At first the training grounds seemed somewhat disappointing. Then I heard of a place that only the greatest of martial artists could go and train."

"Jusenkyo right?" Akane said in a board tone.

"Yes that is exactly right. It was about a week after we had arrived in China."

Flashback

"Here sirs we arrive at Jusenkyo. Valley of very cursed spring." A man wearing a communist uniform said.

"This is it?" Ranma asked as he surveyed the area. "This place isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Come on Ranma follow me." Genma said as he jumped up onto a pole. 

"Right pop!" Ranma said as he followed his father.

"Sirs what you doing. I no' have finished my very tragic story." The guide said as he tried to stop the two.

The two martial artist in question ignored him though as they began to fight across the pole tops. Father and son continued to through punches and kicks at each other seeming to dance across the poles. At each leap seeming to hang suspended in mid air and then landing on an opposite pole safely unharmed. Then suddenly Ranma got a lucky hit in. Sending Genma straight for a spring. Ranma waited for his father to surface with a smile on his face saying.

"Hey loser you done already?" The smile on his face disappeared as he saw a panda come out of the water landing on a pole opposite from himself in a battle stance. "Hey what's going on here?" Ranma shouted down to the guide.

"Oh that one fall into spring of drowned panda. Very tragic story of panda who drown in spring six hundred year ago."

"You never said anything about this." Ranma shouted as he pointed towards the panda.

The panda, taking note of Ranma's distraction attacked knocking Ranma off his pole into another spring. Surfacing the boy now turned girl looked inside her gi top and found two parts of her anatomy that were not there a moment before and screamed. 

The guide came up to the side of the spring shaking his head. "Oh so sorry sir. You fall in to spring of drowned girl. Very tragic story of girl who drown in spring one thousand five hundred year ago."

As the memory faded and Genma's words died out Ranma found himself shaking with anger. Soun's next words just helped to fuel that anger.

"Ah the legendary springs of Jusenkyo. Its true horror finally revealed."

"True horror!" Ranma shouted as he stood up and grabbed his father by the lapels of his gi top. "What do you mean true horror!? How could have taken me to a place like that in the first place old man!?"  
Ranma found himself being thrown into the pond again. "You sound like a girl Ranma. Were you not prepared to give your life in pursuit of the art?"

"My life yes, my manhood is a different story." Ranma said as he splashed a pail of water on his father. The panda growled at his son turned girl and prepared to throw a punch at him. He was stopped however as scolding hot water was being poured on him.

"So hot water will turn you back to normal?" Soun asked as the panda turned back into a man.

"The water needn't be that hot." Genma said cringing in pain.

"Cold water turns you into a girl." Soun said pointing at Ranma. Then trying to pour the scolding hot water on Ranma he said. "While hot water changes you back into a boy."

"Hot water not BOILING!" Ranma shouted out as she dodged the scolding hot water.

"Well then son." Soun said while putting his arms around Ranma's shoulders, and turning him towards the seated girls. "Your problems not so bad after all."

"Yeah right." Ranma said sarcastically.

"My daughters…" Soun continued not paying attention to Ranma's words. "Kasumi age 19, Nabiki age 17, and Akane age 16. Choose which one you want and she will be your bride."

"Oh he chooses Akane." Kasumi said before Ranma could utter a word.

"Yes, he defiantly wants Akane." Nabiki said backing her sister up.

"What? Why me?" Akane asked shocked by her two sisters. That they would try to foist Ranma off on her. Especially when they knew how she felt about Kenchi.

"Well you are the same age." Started Kasumi in her innocent voice.

"And we know how you hate boys. Added Nabiki as she started to back up her sister.

"Well you're in luck Akane, Ranma's half girl." Finished Kasumi.

"Well then it's decided Akane will…" Soun started but was cut off.

"Hold it! First off I do not hate all boys Nabiki, or have you forgotten about Kenchi? Speaking of Kenchi, have you all forgotten that I was dating him?"

"Well this is more a matter of honor Akane. Would you truly turn your back on that? Asked Kasumi as she desperately tried to regain a foothold.

"The promise said that Ranma would marry one of the Tendo daughters. So it douse not have to be me. Besides I already have a fiancée. Kenchi asked me this afternoon." Akane said as she showed the room the ring on her finger.

The roof of the Tendo home rose ten feet in the air as three shouts of "WHAT!" came through the room. Three surprised faces stared at Akane and the ring on her finger. Nabiki took Akane's hand and examined the ring closer. She was surprised at the quality of the ring. In the time she had seen Kenchi he had seemed plain. The ring on Akane's finger though would set her family back to being paupers. It was beautiful. A gold band with a diamond mounted in the center. The diamond seemed to explode outwards where other smaller diamonds surrounded it. Like the planets that surrounded the sun. embroidered in the ring were the images of a dragon and a phoenix coming from opposite sides to fly into the jewels. It was a very lovely ring a ring that Nabiki thought should be on her finger. Not the finger of her younger sister.

Kasumi was in shock. She didn't expect that her little sister would go and get herself engaged. She was supposed to hate boys. Not like them so much she would agree to marry one. Least of all not one she hadn't met yet.

Soun's head was in a spin. His youngest daughter had said she was engaged to another boy. A boy he had never met. A boy that he had thought was a figment of his young daughter's imagination. Yet there on her finger lay the ring that spoke of her engagement. An engagement he didn't feel was right. After all he had doubts about his other two daughters. Kasumi and Nabiki would not be the ideal choices to continue the school. That left Akane. Through Akane an heir could be made. An heir to the school for the Tendo family. He himself had no sons to continue the school for him. Only daughters. A girl could not take the place of a man no matter how she tried. He knew this. Unfortunately his wife had died before she could sire him any sons. His hope now lay in the hands of his friend. Having Ranma enter the family and though not an heir by blood he would still carry on the school. Yet he needed to marry the one that the school was offered to. That was Akane. 

Since his daughter had been so good at it Soun had decided to teach her a bit of the art. She had entered the world of a martial artist with relish. Going as far as she could to be the best. Soun found himself getting angry at the prospect of his daughter's engagement to someone unknown to him. He was the head of the household after all. It was his say weather his daughter should marry or not. He should be the one that made the choice of weather his daughter should be with a boy or not. Soun opened his mouth to say as much, yet before he could utter a word his other two daughters spoke.

"Kenchi gave you that!?" Nabiki all but shouted her shock at seeing such a ring on her sister's finger still evident on her face.

"Oh my, Akane wouldn't it have been more proper for the family to meet this boy first. You haven't done anything with him have you? Your not pregnant I hope?" At that statement from his daughter Soun almost fainted.

"Kasumi! How can you ask such a thing? Better yet how can you think such a thing of me? First of all Kenchi is coming over tomorrow afternoon after school so you will be able to meet him then. As for me being pregnant. Of coarse I'm not pregnant. You know I'm saving myself for the man I will marry. Kenchi and I just got engaged and he believes in marriage first. It's one of the traits I love about him. He is also very honorable and lives by the code of a martial artist. He would never hurt me, or do anything to me unless I wanted him to."

"Boy this guy sure seems like a wimp." Stated Ranma looking to the entire world as if he would fall asleep. His thoughts though were on a different matter. He couldn't believe that the girl he wanted to seduce was engaged. It usually made things a bit harder to get a girl in the sac if she had someone already. He would have to be careful. After all a mob of angry boyfriends or angry fathers was nothing to shake a stick at. It would be easier if he had the engagement to back him up. Still tonight the girl would loose her virtue to him. That he would make sure of. It would make sure that the girl was his. After all even that one prude of a girl had given in to him though it took some forcing. 

"Kenchi could whip your butt from hear back to China. You should watch who you call a wimp Ranma." Akane said scowling at Ranma for his statement.

"Care to make a wager on that?" Ranma said sensing an opportunity. 

"What sort of wager?" Akane asked eyeing the boy suspiciously. Right now she didn't trust him one bit.

"Well I don't need money or any other currency at the moment, and I have all the worldly possessions I need. I would also like something extremely valuable to you so as to say I won the fight with gusto. I know if I win you will have to give up your virtue to me." Ranma said smiling lecherously at Akane.

"What! No way! I would never do something like that. You must be crazy to ask me to give up my virginity over a fight!" Akane said glaring daggers at Ranma.

"Oh so you don't have that much confidence in your fiancee after all then? You wouldn't be willing to risk it all because you know he is going to lose." Ranma said the smile on his face growing wider.

Akane knew what the boy was doing. Many of the other boys she knew like Kuno did much the same thing. The only difference between them and Ranma was that Ranma was openly gesturing what he wanted from her. Kenchi has warned her about boys like him. Not that she had already known. After all she did have to deal with Kuno a lot. The other population of Furincan High School boy's chapter seemed to be the same as Kuno in fact. Often she had heard their snide remarks about her. They would speak about how they had wanted to get her alone behind a building or in a room drunk. The only one who had truly gotten past that was Kenchi. 

Kenchi had a unique perspective on a woman's point of view though. He had been raised by women most of his life. He even lived as one part of his life though he preferred to be a boy. Unlike the pervert in front of her Kenchi was a real man. She knew Kenchi could wipe the floor with this upstart. Yet she wondered if Kenchi would be mad at her for again getting him in a fight. He had told her before how he truly hated to fight. Yet if something she could not handle came up he would be there by her side in an instant.

Akane's thoughts on the subject were brought to a halt as her father spoke up. "Hmm…I think the boy has a point. Your _fiancee _should be able to defend your honor if he is so good. However if he should lose you will be married to Ranma. Therefor having your virtue taken would not be dishonorable. 

At his statement Soun's three daughters looked at him with complete shock on their faces. They couldn't believe he would say something like that. Each of his daughters held their chastity in the highest order. For their father to just flaunt just one of the threes virtue was despicable.

"How can you say that daddy! Akane shouted getting to her feet.

"Daddy that wouldn't very be very smart." Nabiki said glaring at her father.

"Father that wouldn't be proper at all. What would mother think?" Kasumi said a shocked look on her face.

"B…b…b…b…but I…" Soun started to bluber from receiving the hostile looks from his three daughters.

"Tendo do not worry. After all it would seem that your daughter will not stick by the code of a martial artist and the code of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. Your daughter douse not seem to be up to the challenge." Genma said looking like a poor imitation to a wise sensai. 

"Fine, _IF_ Kenchi loses I will give up my virtue to you." Akane said looking at Ranma. Then she got a thoughtful look on her face. "However what if Kenchi were to win the fight what would you give up to us?" Akane asked a wicked smile coming to her face.

"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked getting a worried look on his face.

"Well if Kenchi loses I will have to give up my maiden hood before I am ready. I will also have to marry someone I don't want to. What would you have to do of equal importance if Kenchi wins?" Akane asked, however before he could answer she continued. "I know if you lose you will have to give up all rights to this dojo and of the engagement. You will also have to promise on your word of honor that you will never come on to my sisters or myself in a sexual manner unless given freely. Or you will commit ritual suicide right in front of this family."

"Fine you're on." Ranma said with a confident smirk on his face. He held the smirk until his father grabbed him by his shirt and dragged him out into the dojo. Unnoticed by the two Nabiki followed wanting to hear what the two would talk about. Leaving Akane and Kasumi to deal with their father.

Later the three sisters found themselves in Akane's room talking about the events of earlier. Particularly the little wager that was made.

"I can't believe that pervert." Nabiki stated as she did her leg lifts. "Do you know what he said when he went to talk to his father? I just can't believe father would push us off on someone like him."

"So what was said Nabiki?" Akane asked getting annoyed with her sisters ranting.

"Well first off his father started to yell at him saying he was ruining a good thing by giving in to your conditions sis. His father then went on about how this place would be the only place that they would be able to stay safely for a while. Ranma then came back and said that it wasn't a problem. That even if he lost the wager by tonight it would be to late to do anything anyway."

"In other words Ranma has something planed for one of us. Oh my." Kasumi said getting a worried look on her face.

"The pervert is going to probably go after me. He did seem to want to get me in the sac from the get go the way he was staring at me all evening long. I hope Kenchi makes him suffer tomorrow. He deserves it for what he is trying to pull. Trying to force me to have sex with him ewe." Akane said trying not to shake with the thought of being forced to do things with Ranma she would rather do with Kenchi.

"Do you really think Kenchi can take Ranma sis? After all Ranma douse seem to be awfully good. The only one I've seen Kenchi fight is Kuno and he only hits Kuno with the most simple of moves as it is. The fact that Kuno will not improve and is an idiot in the first place doesn't help. Can Kenchi take a real challenge though? Nabiki asked looking at her sister seriously. "Or better yet will he fight? After all I have done to rile the boy it seems that he still will not take a challenge."

"That's because the challenges you set up for your schemes are stupid little challenges not even worth his time Nabiki. This however is an attack on our family honor. His fiancee is about to be taken from him. Our father wants Ranma to be my husband and will allow Ranma to take my virtue in the process. You know how he feels. He wants you and I to be exact copies of Kasumi. I'm sorry to say this Kasumi but I can't live like that. I know I'm a tomboy and have little to no homemaking skills yet it's who I am. That was the girl that Kenchi fell in love with and asked to marry. He didn't ask you or Kasumi Nabiki but me. Plane old tomboy Akane. I love him so much because he sees me. Not the girl that is seen to all the others as a virginal conquest but me Akane Tendo. The first time we even met he was the only one to be there for me. He is not one to fight for the honor of being the best. He hates that, he will however fight for friends and loved ones. He is a true warrior and will always give help when help is needed."

"Father just wants us to be like mother Akane." Kasumi stated looking down at her lap.

"No he doesn't Kasumi. He wants Nabiki and I to be like you. I know you try to act like her Kasumi. You had to actually take her place for Nabiki and I when she died. Yet if you remember mom had her own way. Mom wasn't always nice and sweet. You remember that one time that daddy tried to make her do something she hated. She would always put him in his place. Remember that one time he had to sleep out in the yard because he made mom so mad. You know mom would never stand for something like this. She may have gone along with it partially for the sake of honor but she would not let Ranma bed us like he wants to from the get go. She would have kicked him out the moment he offered such a wager. Of coarse with daddies' support we couldn't do that. "Akane said looking at her older sister sadly.

"I just want to make father proud of me. I want him to be happy like when mother was alive."

"At the cost of your own happiness sis. Akane is right you have given up too much to take care of us. We are big girls and can take care of ourselves. You should already be off getting your degree to become a doctor. You have always had the potential. It's one of the things mom saw in you Kasumi. We've held you back too much from your true calling. So has daddy in a way. He sees the place of a woman as in the house to cook, clean, and make babies. I see you sometimes sis when you think you are alone. All the times you start to cry because of the life you've given up." Nabiki said looking down at her lap. "Sis, you more than anyone deserve better."

"But who would take care of the both of you. What about father he needs me to help him. After mother died he was such a wreck."

"Sis daddy took care of himself long before mother came along. As for us well I'm practically married to Kenchi and if anyone is more independent than anyone in this family it's Nabiki." Akane said giving her sister a hug.

"We can take care of ourselves sis. We can even take care of this Ranma problem. We all deserve the right to be happy. Ranma is one of the things that will have to go in order to allow us to be happy. I can see that in every minute we spend with him. I just wish we had more protection for tonight. If he has any honor at all then by tomorrow we should be all right. Yet he is going to try something tonight and that has me worried." Nabiki stated looking directly at her sisters.

"Well there is something we could do that would cause Ranma a lot of problems in accomplishing his mission. A couple of things actually." Akane said with a smile on her face.

"On and what's that sis?" Nabiki said eyeing her sister.

"Oh my Akane you have that devious look you get when you are going to try something improper."

"Oh this isn't improper Kasumi. Not by a long shot. You see all we have to do first of all is…

Ranma was in a bad mood. He grumbled as he made his way to the bath from his recent soak in the koi pond. He hated that his father would always seem to turn him into a girl to rile him. What surprised Ranma was that his father was able to grab him to even throw him in the first place. Ranma knew he was better than his father was. He had been readily able to beat his father since he was twelve. Yet for some reason his father had been able to get lucky shots in. 

Ranma knew his father probably cheated somehow yet he couldn't see how. It was a mystery. One that Ranma would like to get out in the open. First he would rather be a boy though. Ranma opened the door to the changing room, entered, stripped his clothing, entered the bathroom, washed his female body with cold water, and then turned on the hot water to change. To Ranma's surprise the water was still cold when he splashed it on himself. Ranma screamed and ran out of the bath yelling. 

"What's wrong with the hot water?"

"Oh my Ranma there is no need to shout. The hot water heater is broken that's all. Even the gas is out. Isn't that strange? I guess there will be no hot water tonight for you tonight." Kasumi said with on of her smiles on her face.

"What do you mean no hot water. I demand you get me hot water immediately woman!" Ranma said grabbing Kasumi's wrist. Causing her to yelp out in surprise and pain.

"Just what do you think you are doing to my sister?" Came Akane's voice from behind Ranma. Ranma turned to see Akane yellow pajamas with cats all over them looking at him angrily. He turned and saw that with him holding Kasumi's wrist like he was. Along with the painful expression on her face that things did not look good.

"Well she won't get me hot water." Ranma said, as that was the reasoning behind causing Kasumi pain. The next thing that Ranma knew he was on a one way trip via angry Akane Airlines down the stairs and through the wall back in the koi pond. All the time wondering where Akane got that mallet. His thoughts remained so until he passed out. From the blow to the head he had received.

Ranma's father picked him or her up out of the koi pond shaking his head at the sight of his son loosing to a girl in such a way. When the boy turned girl awoke he would have to make sure the boy understood the importance of not being beaten by a girl. It was disgraceful in itself that Ranma would be beaten in such a way. In either form. He had been on a training trip for ten years after all. How could this girl be so good learning from her father? Genma knew Soun and he would never teach his daughter to be so good. The girl was a lot like her mother in fact. To independent to the point of frustration. Genma remembered one time he had been visiting his friend and his friend's wife had kicked him out of the dojo for an insult of some sort. The woman was incorrigible too head strong. He had wondered why the woman stayed at home in the first place. 

It was her influence that tainted Nodoka. Nodoka was never so difficult until she met Soun's wife. That is when things had started to go wrong between them. Nodoka had wanted too much. She had started to get ideas in her head. After their son was born it had become worse. Not only had she started to pamper their son, she had started to teach him ideas that would have ruined the boy. So he had taken the boy away from her. It was hard but he had succeeded. The contract he and his son had signed was the cork in the bottle. She had not been able to stop him after that.

But how could he show her this boy. This boy that turned into a girl. That could be equaled to a girl who just trained at home by a father that did not teach much. It was just disgraceful. Maybe if he had not lost… Genma stopped that line of thought as soon as it entered his head. He could not gain back what he had lost. He would just have to move forward with what he had. Like he had always done before. Like he would continue to do.

The End

Of this chapter only don't have a heart attack sheesh. 


	3. Chapter 03

Ok just to let you know these characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful lady who created them. They are also distributed by VIZ Video. I am not nor will not gain any money by writing this story. This story is just being written for fun that is all.

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Chapter 3

School and a Challenge.

It is well known that if you drink too much that you will get what is known as a hangover in the morning. For one Ranma Saotome that is what he thought he had. The only thing was last night he was not drinking. No he was not drinking at all. After he had woken last night from his early nap and he had found the Tendo's and his father already eating dinner. It was surprising to Ranma that he even had dinner in the first place. The way his father was so greedy it wasn't often that Ranma would get dinner if he were late. The Tendo's said it was because they hated to see anyone go hungry. The fact that his father was tied up and set in front of the shoji board was interesting to.

After dinner though everything had become a blur. He had become so tired. He was even too tired to start a fire to heat water. So he would be able to change back into his boy form. Even now he was still stuck in his female form, and he hated it. Added to the headache he had, made his morning a pretty bad one.

"Oh my, Ranma you're up finally. Good that means you won't be late for school." Kasumi said in passing.

"School? What dose she mean school?" Ranma grumbled out holding his head wishing she hadn't shouted. Seeing his father sitting at the shoji board with Mr. Tendo Ranma made his way over to him. 

"Pop what's this I hear about school? What do I need school for if I'm gonna be a martial artist any way?" Ranma asked as he approached his father.

"Ranma we are staying here for a while so it would be best if you get an education. What, you don't want to grow up to be an imbecile do you?" Genma said not even looking at Ranma.

"I AM NOT AN IMBECILE OLD MAN! Ouch my head." Ranma said while grabbing his head with his hands.

"Oh stop wining and get ready for school boy." Genma said while moving a shoji piece. 

"You're in luck Ranma it's the same school Akane and I go to." Nabiki said while rushing past him on her way out the door.

"You had better get going boy. You don't want to be late on your first day of school."

"Hey maybe I'm just not ready yet O.K." Ranma was answered by having a satchel thrown into his arms. And having himself thrown out the door. Grumbling he ran after Nabiki and much to her surprise caught up with her.

"So where is my little sex toy today?" Ranma asked seeing Nabiki stiffen at his question and smiling because of her reaction.

"Akane goes to school early for a martial arts class from her sensai. I also would not call my sister a sex toy Saotome."

"Why not? Akane will be my fiancée after I beat that wimp of a boyfriend of hers. Then it will become a matter of time before her virtue is mine." Ranma said starting to laugh insanely which was interrupted by a rock hitting his female face. Reminding him just how much of a headache he had.

"Watch what you say Saotome. People don't like that sort of talk around here. Also don't spread lies around Saotome. They might just come back to haunt you." Nabiki said as she ran through some gates. 

As Ranma ran through after her his eyes widened in shock at what he saw. There before him was Akane Tendo talking to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. {Not counting Shampoo.} She wore a blue Chinese shirt that matched her big blue eyes. Her hair was as red as the light of the setting sun. Her skin so smooth, it was as if she always bathed in buttermilk. She made Akane look second rate and that was not easy in his eyes. 

The problem was at the moment he was female and Akane was with the girl. It would be difficult to pick up the girl with those types of obstacles in the way. Akane already was a tease, and was already making it hard to get a good lay. Although he could probably get the girl in a matter of no time, it would make it difficult with his future wife hanging around the girl. 

Ranma watched the two enter the school. As he watched he noticed that Akane had a frown on her face. He wondered if it had to do with his rival. Ranma was about to go search for some hot water when a boken-wielding boy impeded his path.

"Ah another of the Kami's beautiful creatures crosses my path. It must be fate that doth bring such beauty to my presence. I the one who is the Kami's blessed that doth stand before you. So who might you be my light of the morn?"

"Listen idiot I'm here to get to class and not talk to boken wielding idiots like you."

"Oh how you sound like my lovely Akane whose beauty is only rivaled by that of my pig tailed goddess."

Ranma looked at the boy with a questioning glance and thought. (Could this be the boy Akane was talking about? Is this idiot the one that is supposed to be able to beat me? Doesn't look like much to me. What was the name of the wimp? I know it started with a k or something like that.)

"So who are you to think that Akane is yours?" Ranma asked the boy.

"I did not give the proper greeting did I. How very inappropriate of me. I am the rising star of the kendo world. The undefeated Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, Tatawaki Kuno age seventeen."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you Mr. Blue Blunder but I think Akane will have her sights on someone ells here soon enough."

"Ahh do not be jealous my blond hared beauty for there is enough room in mine heart for yet another of the fairer sex. Yet you must still face the challenge of coarse."

"And what challenge would that be hmm?"

"In order to date with me you must defeat me." Kuno said while pulling out his boken.

"And who would like to date with you?" Ranma said while planting his foot in Kuno's face. He was surprised to see that even though the boy was knocked back some he'd just seemed to shrug off the blow as if he had not even felt a thing. Ranma's confidence began to slip at the sight. After all he had put a lot of power behind that kick.

"Ahh I see that thou art skilled indeed. Though not as powerful as my other two loves." Kuno then began to charge Ranma bringing his boken to bare on the boy turned girl.

Ranma was worried now as he took a few hits from the boken-wielding boy. He then saw an opening in the boy's attack and struck. Striking at the boy's vital points with both feet and hands Ranma leaped back from the boken-wielding boy breathing hard and wincing at the hits he had taken.

Kuno was just standing there looking into space. Kuno's eyes were like glass as he muttered. "That didn't hurt." Then fell on his face in front of the boy turned girl.

With a sigh of relief Ranma made his way into the school not noticing the black hared boy watching from the shadows. He also didn't notice the black hared boy jump from behind him into a third story window. All Ranma could think about was how close he had come to losing that match.

Later Ranma looked out at the class he was to be in. Most of the kids were pretty dull to his eyes. Though it was a plus that he did see Akane in his class as well. There was also this other that intrigued him also. He sat near the window and wore a red Chinese shirt much like Ranma's green one. The boy had black hair tied into a pigtail and had mysterious blue eyes. He seemed to pier right into Ranma's soul. The boy unnerved him for some reason. 

"Well class I would like to introduce you to Ranma Saotome." The sensai began to get the classes attention. "He has just recently come back from China. So let's all give him a big nihou welcome. Now that the formalities are taken care of the fact that you are new here Mr. Saotome dose not excuse you for being late. Take a pair of buckets and stand in the hall until I call for you."

Ranma snorted but did as he was told. In truth he felt glad to get out of the class and out of the gaze of the strange boy. After picking up the buckets he left very quickly. Though he tried to leave without looking like he was being intimidated. He was Ranma Saotome after all. The heir to the Saotome School of anything goes martial arts. He could never be intimidated. So why did that boy make him feel so uneasy? A thought that would plague Ranma for the rest of the day.

Akane watched as Ranma left the classroom. She could not get over the feeling of disgust at the boy. When she had arrived this morning and told Kenchi of the fight he had not reacted favorably. Of coarse she couldn't really blame him. He had told her before that he hated to fight for things like that. That he only fought to protect the ones around him. Yet she had gone behind his back and said that he would fight Ranma.

Akane hoped that Kenchi would fight though. Just the thought of having to deal with Ranma as a fiancee was giving her the heebee geebee's. She would much rather prefer Kenchi to Ranma any day. Yet if Kenchi would not fight then the problem would be that her engagement to Kenchi would be dissolved and the engagement to Ranma validated. It would be hell on earth. She already knew what kind of boy Ranma was. If he had had the chance he would have probably already forced her into a situation she was not willing to be in. 

Just thinking of what he might have her do sent shivers down her spine. Akane had no intention of ever having sex with Ranma. If it were Kenchi on the other hand that would be a different story. Of coarse he wanted to wait for marriage. However, that needed to wait. Her current problem with Ranma was top priority. How was she going to get him out of her house? Even if Kenchi beat the tar out of Ranma today the pervert would still be staying under the same roof. He would still be able to sneak into her room at night. It was something that she would never tolerate.

Sneaking a peak towards her preferred fiancee, Akane felt her stomach do flip-flops as it always douse when looking at him. Akane knew that Kenchi could defeat Ranma. Ranma had barely been able to stand up to her, and that was without using any special techniques. How did Ranma even think that he could take her sensai and love? Though the issue was not that Kenchi could defeat Ranma, but would Kenchi even fight Ranma? Akane hoped beyond hope that he would. 

There was another problem to take into consideration with this though. There was no doubt that Ranma was a pervert. An extremely nasty one at that. When Kenchi put the boy in his place, would Ranma try to take his revenge out on her or her sisters? Akane knew boys like Ranma loved to feel superior. Would that make him lash out at her or her sisters when he was defeated? Akane knew she could take care of herself. Yet what of her sisters? She could not be around them twenty four hours a day. How would they be protected from a boy like Ranma? How was she going to stop him from getting back within the house?

There was another problem as well. What if her father moved the engagement to someone ells. One of her sisters would have to deal with Ranma as a fiancee. That was something that Akane could not let happen. It was a problem in the sense that one way or another they would still have to deal with Ranma. Deal with his being a grade A pervert. Of course, she could ask Kenchi about his ideas on the subject. In fact, that seemed like a perfect idea. She would have to ask about Kenchi's views on the subject at lunch. Hopefully he would have some good ideas; she was certainly out of options.

When lunchtime came, Akane found Kenchi sitting by their normal spot under the tree out in the back of the school. A place in the wooded area behind the school that they had dedicated for themselves. A place that they found they could talk alone without the interruptions of others. Akane sat down by Kenchi looking at his face as he looked off towards the school.

"A penny for your thoughts? She asked, a sad smile appearing on her face as she noticed his contemplative manner. 

"Akane, you know when I sit here just listening to the life around me, it makes me wonder. How did I become who I am? What is my purpose in the world? Why do I do what I do? Am I really cut out to be a martial artist? Or should I be something ells?"

"Why are you asking me this Kenchi?" Akane asked with a sigh. "Is this about the fight that I got you involved with? I know I should have asked you about that first, but as I said this morning, I was pressured into it. Ranma is slime Kenchi. Believe me when I say that to you, please?"

"Don't worry about that Akane. Though I don't really like it, I will fight Ranma. Although it won't just be for you." When Kenchi noticed Akane's frown, he smirked at her. "Are you going to let me explain that, or are you going to pound me with your mallet here and now Akane?"

"I don't know Kenchi, maybe I should just get it over with and give you a pounding right here and now. What do you mean your not fighting for me!?" Akane asked in a hurt voice.

"Akane, I said that I'm not fighting just for you. I saw the fight between Ranma and Kuno you know." Kenchi said as he turned to face towards the school again. "I can't get over the way he was fighting. It's as if I know his stile from somewhere. Yet I don't know where." Kenchi said with a sigh.

"Well you might be thinking of your own school Kenchi. After all both of our schools are somewhat similar in concept."

"Maybe similar Akane yet there are differences. No, I know that's not it. It's as if I've fought the way he fights. It was like; I already knew all the moves he was going to make without ever seeing him fight. It got me thinking about what my life is. How I came to be in the world of martial arts? Do I do this for myself or just for the family. Is this what I really want?"

"What did you come up with for an answer Kenchi?" Akane asked in a low tone. She would not like it if the best martial artists that she knew of just up and quit martial arts all together. Her preferred fiancee, friend, and sensai still had a lot to teach. 

"Its not like I'm ready to give up on martial arts Akane, if that's what you're thinking. I just feel kind of like a puppet on a string. It is as if I am not who I really should be. Douse any of this make sense to you?"

"Not in the least Kenchi. Though you do look cute with your forehead scrunched up like that." Akane said with a smile.

With a sigh and a smile Kenchi took her hand and kissed it. "You know, I love you right?"

"Of course, I love you to, you silly baka." She answered back her smile spreading.

Kenchi smiled back at her his heart beating a mile a minute. "Akane, I have to ask you a very important question. Please take your time in answering me though because I want you to be sure of your answer. Akane, if I beat Ranma this afternoon would you be willing to give up everything for me by the time the fight is over?"

Before Akane could answer his question, a commotion broke out in the field of Furinkan High. As the two looked over that way from there secret spot, they could hear the sounds of fighting.

"I wonder who could be fighting now?" Asked Kenchi with a bored tone of voice. "Come on Akane let's go check this out. We might have to put a stop to it before someone gets hurt."

"If the people fighting are who I think they are I wouldn't mind to see them rough each other up a bit." Akane said in a huff, crossing her arms over her chest in a put off manner.

"Ahhh don't be like that Akane, you need to remember that you should treat all enemies as though you would treat your friends. You never know when that enemy could turn into a friend after all."

"Not with these two Kenchi. You know how I feel about Kuno, and, well, Ranma is much the same. The nerve of him to demand my virtue if you lost the duel."

"What!" Kenchi shouted as he looked in shock at Akane. "What do you mean demanded your virtue if I lost the duel Akane?"

"Didn't I tell you Kenchi? Akane asked as she looked at him with sad puppy dog eyes. "That was one of the terms the jerk set up. It is made even worse that my father agrees with the terms."

"Let me get this straight, if I lose the match this afternoon you will have to have sex with Ranma and your father is perfectly acceptable to this arrangement?"

"That about sums it up." Akane stated her expression relaying what she thought of the idea herself.

"Tell me something Akane, is your dad completely whacked? I mean who in their right mind would force their daughter to have sex with a stranger over the loss of a fight? It just doesn't make sense to do something like that. I…i…It's so stupid!" Kenchi said while punching the ground with his fist. Of course, he also broke the water main that was buried underneath the ground by doing so. Since distracted as he was he there by changed into his girl form. "Oh this is just perfect." Linchi deadpanned noticing her changed form. "Akane why is it that whenever you are around I seem to be changed into this form more often? It seems that you distract me more times than anyone ells douse."

Akane smiled at her soaking wet fiancée who was still being drenched by the burst water main. "Come on Linchi let's get out of here and get some hot water for you. After all, I would much rather be with my fiancée Kenchi than his sister Linchi."

"Oh shut up Akane. Let us first break up that fight before getting me changed back. After all, I'm more of a distraction for Kuno like this."

With smiles on their faces, the two girls made their way to the fighting duo.

Earlier Ranma was making his way out of the school, his thoughts on the boy with the blue eyes from class. He had never before felt the way that the boy had made him feel. It was creepy and weird. He was glad the boy had disappeared right at the beginning of lunch. Yet, along with the boy, his erstwhile fiancée had disappeared too. 

Thoughts of what his soon to be fiancee and him would be doing tonight came unbidden to his mind. He giggled as he walked along towards a place he could eat. So caught up in a highly provocative fantasy was he that he did not notice the hakama wearing, boken wielding, idiot in his path.

"Hey watch it you lout!" Ranma yelled as he bounced off the taller boy.

"Who are you who speaketh thus to the great Blue Thunder?" Kuno said as he pointed his boken straight at Ranma's throat. Ranma backpedaled from the boy taking a stance while eyeing the boken-wielding idiot.

"Name's Ranma jerk. Remember it so you can recite it while recovering in the hospital." Ranma smirked at the boy as he began to fume. He could have sworn he actually saw smoke coming out of the boy's ears.

"I know not who thow arst peasant but know this tis not wise to mock the likes of the Blue Thunder. I shall smite thee for thy transgressions. For I am, might…" Kuno could not continue his long winded speech for Ranma's fist was blocking the movement of his mouth.

"If you want to fight then shut up and fight fart brains." Ranma said smirking "Otherwise stop wasting my time and get lost."

"How dare thee!" Kuno stated striking out with a crosscut meant to cut Ranma in half. Ranma dodged the blow, which sliced through a tree behind him. Ranma's eyebrow rose as he noticed the tree fall. It is at this time that Linchi and Akane arrive to stop the fight. Taking complete assessment of the situation, Linchi jumped between the two battling martial artists.

"Stop this immediately!" She said as she glanced between both fighters. "What is the meaning of this. Don't you know that some people are trying to have a quiet lunch here?" Kuno started to say something but Akane interrupted his speech as she hit him over the head with her mallet.

"Don't worry Linchi, I'll take care of Kuno here so you can have a nice friendly chat with Ranma." Akane said with a smirk as she dragged Kuno off.

(Thanks a lot Akane.) Linchi thought sarcastically as she turned to the other boy involved with the brawl. "So you mind telling me what this was all about?" Linchi asked Ranma who was just staring at her, or more correctly staring at her breasts. When he did not answer and just continued to stare at her breasts she began to get a bit ruffled. "Hey pervert I'm talking to you?" Linchi said bopping him on the head with her fist.

"Big deal, I would rather just enjoy the view." Ranma said continuing to stare at her breasts. He found out the hard way that it was sorely not the best thing to say as he found himself embedded within a wall after Linchi had punched him there. He almost passed out, and would have if the girl did not take him by his shirt holding him above her.

"Let's get one thing straight pervert. I do not like people leering at my breasts. I hate it when the people leering at my breasts are ignoring me because they are leering at my breasts. So if you want to keep that sorry excuse for a head on your shoulders then you will answer me you dig?" Linchi then threw Ranma to the ground still glaring at him angrily. Ranma shakily stood up not expecting such strength from the small redhead.

"Uh yeah sure I hear you." Ranma replied shaking the dizziness, he felt from his head. As the dizziness faded, he found himself glaring at the redhead. She was much better than Akane had been he could see that the moment she had punched him into the wall. She had moved with blinding speed and the strength of her punch was unreal. It galled him to no limits that this girl could do that. What made it worse was that if his father found out he was defeated by a girl he would never live it down. Ranma knew that girls were supposed to be weaker than what this girl had shown. It was appalling in and of itself to be defeated in such a way.

"So now are you going to tell me what happened?" Linchi asked glaring at the boy as if he was some sort of compost heap.

"It's none of your business really." Ranma replied glaring back at the redhead. "Myself and the idiot were having a man to man discussion. There was no need for you to get involved." Ranma growled to the girl.

"That's where you are wrong. You see you are scheduled to fight my brother after school today moron, so if you get beat up here you cannot fight him then. I do not want you coping out on a fight because you were hurt. I want to see you get the shit kicked out of you for what you made Akane agree too. It's too bad I won't get to see it." Linchi growled back.

"So the guy I'm fighting after school is your brother? How convenient, to bad he is the one that will get his clocked cleaned this afternoon." Ranma growled back. "I'm going to enjoy hearing Akane's screams as I take her. I think I'll do it right after your brothers defeat so he can hear as Akane's virginity is lost to a real man." Ranma said smirking not realizing how dangerously close he was coming to losing his head over the comments he was making.

"My brother will make sure you are put in your place pervert. I wish I could be there to see it happen in person jerk." Linchi growled back barely holding herself back from tossing this pervert to the moon. 

"You seem pretty confident in your brother doncha bitch?" Ranma shot back, not realizing how deep of a hole he was digging for himself.

"I have the deepest faith in my brother's abilities asshole." Linchi shot right back furiously. 

"Oh, then are you willing to put up a wager on those abilities then?" Ranma asked smirking at her.

"What sort of wager pervert?" Linchi asked not really liking the look in his eyes.

"Well it seems that just taking Akane tonight will get a little boring to me. So, how about if we make it a little more interesting. If your brother losses the match this afternoon then you will have to include yourself with Akane and I. A little three way action if you will." Ranma said smirking. "Or are you afraid that your brother might lose?" He asked, his smirk growing larger.

"You really are a sick basterd, but very well IF my brother losses this afternoon then I will include myself in your little love tryst. However what if my brother wins what will you give up in return?" Linchi asked a twinkle coming to her eye.

"Not this again!" Ranma said with a grunt. "O.K. how about this, IF I lose I will give up the rights to the dojo to your brother. In other words, he will inherit the dojo no matter who marries the Tendo wenches. Is that enough?" Ranma asked with a deep frown.

"I don't know really, that seems like a small price to pay when Akane and myself have to give up our virginity's. Don't you think?" Linchi growled at Ranma.

"Oh I don't know about that. After all, I would be giving up a livelihood. All you and the teas would have to do is spread your legs for me after the match." Ranma said grinning like a shark.

"Fine I accept, but know this after the match if I see you I will personally make your life a living hell. No matter if you win or lose buttwipe." Linchi shot out as she turned and headed for the school. "Oh you might want to hurry the bell is going to ring soon and I believe you haven't even eaten your lunch." Linchi called over her shoulder.

With a verbal curse, Ranma realized she was right and hurried to eat his lunch. While Linchi went to find Akane, they had a lot to talk about between them. One of that was weather Akane would mind if she actually killed that egotistical pervert Ranma. She had never met someone so wrong in her life. It took a lot to set off her anger. Well Ranma had succeeded, and when they faced off in the dojo this afternoon, Ranma was going to learn first hand why you never made Kenchi Morisoto mad.

A.N. Oh My GOD I actually finished this chapter. Will wonders never cease? I decided to wait until next chapter to get to the fight between Ranma and Kenchi. As for what will happen in next chapter well let's just say that Ranma had better have his insurance paid up. Unfortunately he will be getting a little help though. Will Kenchi be able to win in the face of not only Ranma but also Ranma's father, as well as Akane's father. I sure as hell hope so. See you next chapter "For Love and Honor" 


	4. Chapter 04

Um do I really need to say this again oh well, these characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful lady who created them. They are also distributed by VIZ Video. I am not and will not gain any money by writing this story. This story is just being written for fun that is all.

OK here it is the main draft of chapter 4. There may still be errors in here that were not caught though. I still haven't gone through all my prereaders suggestions. Boy did I get a lot of requests for this chapter. 

Chapter 4

**For Love and Honor.******

**                 For the rest of the school day Ranma sat in his seat tuning out the monotone voice of his teacher. He had spent most of the time caught up in dreams of his night with Akane and Linchi. How he would get the pleasures he deserved from them. Not like that stupid amazon. She would not give it up until he was truly married to the girl. As if! As if he would marry some backwater hick from a backwater village, which had stupid laws to begin with. Ranma hated the fact that his father had even listened to the guide who had brought them to the stupid village in the first place. What a load of bull that was. He was just thankful he would never have to deal with her again. She had been a major disappointment in her breaking. Too bad, there was no sex involved with what had happened. Well turning into a boy after the match did help to lessen the severity of the situation for him at least. Imagine having to hunt down a girl that had beaten you. It was stupid. Of course slapping him when he got fresh with her was uncalled for in his view. He had given her a great lesson though. She got what she deserved in spades.**

                Rattled from his thoughts as the bell rang to signal the end of class, Ranma looked up spotting the other students leaving the classroom. Looking at his schedule, he saw that gym was his next class. Ranma got up from his desk and followed some other boys to the boys' locker room, where they changed into their gym cloths and proceeded to the athletic field. 

                As the gym teacher was explaining the fundamentals of bar gymnastics, Ranma casually looked over to where the girls were playing a game of softball. He smirked at the skimpy red bloomers they wore with the white tops. He saw Akane on the field, and his smirk grew thinking of her in less than she had on now. He new he would get to see her later like that once he beat his supposed rival. Oh how he was going to enjoy her screams when he broke her. Her and that little tart of a sister of Akanes' alleged fiancee.

                Ranma came back to reality from his erotic daydreams when the gym teacher called for him for his turn on the bar. He quickly mounted the bar and performed a simple routine flawlessly, then ended with a skillful dismount. Afterwards he sat back down in the same spot to continue his watch of the girls in their short bloomers and white tees. He came out of his daydreams again as a couple of his classmates sat down with him and started talking.

                "Wow that was great!" The boy on his right said as he sat down.

                "Of course it was great Diasuke, I heard that Ranma hear went over seas to study gymnastics." The other boy responded confidently.

                "It was Kempo, not gymnastics." Ranma replied in a board tone. He sighed then turned back to his girl watching. 

                "So who're checking out Ranma?" The boy named Diasuke asked as he looked to where Ranma was watching the girls play ball. Seeing Akane catch a pop fly out of the air, he smirked while saying. "I wouldn't get your hopes up if you're planning on going after Akane. It is impossible to separate her from that boyfriend of hers. I hear now that she is even engaged to him."

                "Yeah, what a shame that such a girl is taken off the market like that. Her fiancee is sure one lucky bastard." 

                "You said it Hiroshi. It's too bad that we couldn't win a date with her."

                "Win a date with her?" Ranma asked turning away from watching the game, as Akane stepped up to bat.

                "Yeah, it only lasted for a day until her boyfriend stopped it by beating the crap out of the instigator." Hiroshi replied getting a vacant look to his eyes as he remembered that time.

                Ranma was about to ask more when there was a loud crack then a stinging sensation on his cheek. He just blinked for a second before saying, "Owe!"

                "Hey Ranma if your supposed to be this hotshot martial artist, couldn't you have caught or dodged that."

                With a sigh, Ranma replied. "I was distracted." Then he looked to where Akane was looking in their direction with a shocked look on her face. His thoughts turned to how much he was going to enjoy breaking her. Indeed, he was going to make sure she felt every single second of what was coming to her.

                On her way home, Akane was deep in thought over the events of gym class. She felt bad for what she accidentally did to Ranma. She wondered why he just did not just dodge the ball. Dismissing those thoughts, she turned them to a more pleasant topic, Kenchi. He was supposed to meet her at the dojo in an hour. It would give him time to prepare and Ranma time to visit Dr. Tofu. She didn't know why Nabiki had insisted that he go to the doctor's. All he had was a little boo boo on his cheek. The bruise on his cheek was nothing to worry about. It wasn't like it was going to hinder him in any way. Though she supposed Nabiki had her reasons for what she did. Akane knew that Nabiki detested the pervert so it wasn't like she was in love with the jerk. 

                As she neared the gates to the dojo Akane took a deep breath. She was not anticipating the confrontation that was about to take place. She had avoided her father this morning yet she knew that she was going to be in for an earful when she got home. 

                When she got through the door to the house, just as she had predicted, her father was waiting for her.

                "So Akane, have you brought this challenger home with you?" Soun asked in a huff.

                "He will be here in an hour father." She replied while taking her shoes off.  She then proceeded past her father and made her way towards the kitchen to talk to Kasumi. She had no wish to talk to her father right now.

                "He should be here now Akane." Her father grumbled as he followed her towards the kitchen. "If he were responsible he would not have left your side. It would be his duty to take care of you. Yet, he would leave you alone to walk to your house. Why, in my day…"

                "In your day father, men took their women by the hair and drag them off to their caves." Akane said in a huff walking through the door to the kitchen while her father fumed at her back.

                "That wasn't a very nice thing to say Akane." Her sister replied as she walked in to the kitchen.

                "He should not have confronted me then Kasumi. Father must understand that I will not live under his boot. I can't believe he wants to still argue about me not wanting to marry Ranma. He automatically discredits Kenchi even though he hasn't even met him."

                "Akane you must remember that father has his own plans for the school. It was his dream for one of us to marry a Saotome. For you to marry another takes away that dream since it was deemed that you would be the heir to the dojo."

                "I don't know Kasumi; he should still understand that I don't want to be handed off like some piece of meat. I love daddy dearly, yet doing this to us is uncalled for. He should have at least told us before what he was planning. Then we could have at least discussed it properly. However, he just dumps this on us the day we were supposed to meet our potential husband. Then after we get to know the boy and see how much of a pervert the boy really is, daddy practically has me thrown in bed with him. How could he even suggest that it would be all right for me to give up my virtue like that? Tell me that Kasumi?"

                Kasumi sighed then turned from cutting the vegetables.  Looking her little sister in the eyes, she responds with a shrug. "I am not saying I agree with father, Akane. I am saying you should be more civil towards him. I agree that this was a bad choice, however, you must still realize that he had reacted properly since mothers death. I know you don't remember much from that time, but father wants us to be the image of mother…"

                "We discussed this last night Kasumi. Daddy wants us to be his twisted idea of what mother was, not what she truly was. We are not fragile little damsels Kasumi. We are independent as mother was independent. He should realize that, and stop trying to turn us in to little maiden robots."

                "Akane I'm sure we can eventually get father to come around. You must understand though that continually harassing him will not benefit your cause."

                "Maybe you're right Kasumi. I do not want to really distance myself from him but I will not turn from my principles. I just hope Kenchi takes care of Ranma in a hurry so we can be rid of that trouble."

                "I do hope your young man can take care of this little sister."

                "Don't worry about that, all Kenchi will have to do is use one of his special techniques and this contest will be all but over." Akane smiled and sighed at the thought of Kenchi blasting Ranma from the dojo with a flick of his wrist. Unnoticed by both the girls there was a rustling by the door to the kitchen.

                Soun's face grew somber as he walks to the patio. He gazes over the yard taking in the view of his home. The dojo was his dream since he was a little boy. He could remember those days as if they were in a fog now. It was so long ago. Sitting with his father as the man taught him the values of life. It was a time before he met his best friend. Before the master and the troubles the old man brought with him. It was a time of innocence. A time of real foolishness that could only come with youth. His daughter was going through such a time now. Even worse she is dragging Kasumi down with her. How dare she try to change Kasumi into some independent thinker? Women had their place. That place was in the house taking care of their husbands and children. Kasumi was on the right path. It was his other two daughters that need to learn their place. Akane most of all needed to know that the world would not see her as a man would be seen. 

                "What's on your mind old friend?" Soun looked up into the solemn face of his old friend Genma Saotome. He was in his usual off white gie with a bandanna covering his baldhead. His friend sat down beside him looking out across the yard.

                "I just don't understand Saotome. Why do children have to be so complicated? Why won't my daughter except her place and do as I wish? It is just so complicated sometimes my friend."

                "You have to understand the younger generation my friend. It will be O.K. after my boy beats her other suitor she will be put within her place. Right now she thinks she knows all because the young always do. It is a failing with them. They always want to be rebellious. All you have to remember is that discipline is the key. Make her stand by her word when she tries to turn away from her word this afternoon. Who knows maybe we will have an heir sooner than we planned if all goes as planned this evening."

                Soun smiled at the thought. "You know how to truly cheer me up Saotome my friend. Are you sure that your boy will be able to beat this upstart?"

                "I have no worries about that Tendo. Even if the boy has trouble with this so called martial artist I have a few ideas to help out."

                "I do hope so Saotome. This is the culmination of all we have suffered for all our lives. I heard my daughter talking about the boy knowing special techniques. Will that be a problem Saotome?"

                "Hmm, it might be Tendo. I haven't had the time to teach Ranma any of the higher techniques of our school. We will have to make sure that this boy can't use these techniques of his then. Somehow we will have to level the playing field in our favor. We will make sure that my boy will win and then the future of our schools will be secured."

                "Yes Saotome we must make sure that the school comes first. Nothing will stand in our way!"

                The two stood up laughing heartily saying, "Its operation gets Ranma and Akane together tonight." They then sat back down and began pondering about the upcoming events. They pondered the events that would affect the outcome of the Tendo Dojo's future, and the future of its younger inhabitants.

                At the same time as the discussion occurring in the back yard patio of the Tendo Dojo, Nabiki was leading Ranma towards the local medical clinic. As they walked Nabiki shook her head at the grumbling Ranma. "You know Ranma you have nothing to complain about. It was your own fault you were hit by that ball."

                "Be quiet! What do you know about it anyway? I was humiliated in front of the whole school. I will tell you this Nabiki that sister of yours will get what's coming to her tonight."

                "I wouldn't be so sure of that Ranma. By this time tomorrow you will probably be back out on the road."

                "Ha! As if anyone around here can really beat me."

                "It seems that Linchi was tossing you around pretty easily earlier Ranma. So I wouldn't be so cocky."

                "I would be careful Nabiki. One would think you care for me. Of course who wouldn't care for a hunk like me right?"

                "Ranma, you have nothing to offer me. I am just making sure you can't get out of this honor fight because of that bruise on your face. I want to make sure you can't weasel your way out of this. It is important to both our families. Once you are out of the house I won't have to worry about you any more."

                Ranma grabbed Nabiki by the arm turning her to face him. "Watch yourself Nabiki or I might just think that you need as much of a lessen as your dike of a sister."

                Ranma could swear he could feel a chill go up his spine from the frosty glare Nabiki was giving him. She looked from his face to his hand that was painfully holding her arm. "I will warn you once again Saotome and this is the final time. Do not threaten us. To not try anything with us that you can't finish. Do not mess with my family. Last of all do not mess with me. If you do, I will make your life such a hell you will wish for death to escape it. I suggest you also take your hands off me before you find you will have to forfeit your fight this afternoon."

                "Oh, what do you think you can do to me?"

                Nabiki looked coolly into his smirking face and replied. "Not me Saotome them." It was at this time that Ranma noticed the crowd that had surrounded them. A crowd that had frowns on their faces, and a promise of pain in their eyes. It was especially apparent in the females of the crowd. Though Ranma knew he could probably take all these people he didn't want to risk getting hurt in the process, and in doing so missing the fight. With a "Humph!" Ranma let go of Nabiki's arm; she turned and began walking again. Ranma followed the older schoolgirl scowling at her back. She turned into a simple building opening the door and calling out "Hello! Dr. Tofu, are you in?"

                Ranma looked around as Nabiki continued to call out for the Doctor. He stopped looking around when a handsome man walked into the room. He looked to be in his early to mid twenties. He wore a brown gi and had round glasses. His hair was clean cut and parted down the middle.

                "Why hello Nabiki. How can I help you today?"

                "I would like you to have a look at this boy here if you could." She said waving her hand toward Ranma haphazardly. "He is scheduled for an honor fight this afternoon that we would like to make sure that he doesn't have to forfeit. It has to do with the possible marriage of one of us Tendo girls to him."

                "Marriage?" He asked getting a fearful look in his eyes. "Marriage to whom?"

                Nabiki got a speculative look on her face looking at the good doctor. "Any one of us actually. He is dueling with Akane's current fiancée, and if he wins he will be able to choose between the three of us."

                "Between the three of you?"

                "Yeah, I get to get some good tail out of this." Ranma put in flippantly smirking at Nabiki, missing the dark look he received from the doctor. Nabiki did not miss the look though, and did not like the way the doctor was eyeing the pervert. She knew she would have to nip this in the bud or Ranma would not make it to the duel. That was something she did not want to happen as Ranma might say that he was set up. She wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up with this fight so Ranma could find no way to get back into their lives. Once Kenchi beat the living stuffing out of Ranma then she would let the good doctor have the rest of him. Until then she would have to keep the good doctor under control.

                "Ranma here believes that he will beat Akane's current Fiancee easily but we want to make sure he is in perfect health before the fight so he will not cop out or anything. You understand right doctor?"

                Dr. Tofu turned from them and proceeded to the back room. "Follow me and we will see about that bruise on your face."

                As Ranma sat on the table Nabiki followed the doctor as he went to get his supplies. As the doctor took down the first of his supplies Nabiki spoke up. "Dr. Tofu I know what you are thinking and I ask you not to do anything."

                "What do you mean Nabiki?" He asked calmly.

                "I know how you feel and I share your sentiments, but let us handle this first. If Ranma does not fight with Akane's fiancée fairly then he could make our lives miserable. This would make her life miserable. Do you want that Doctor? We need him to make this fight doctor so you make sure he can in the best health he can be in."

                "Nabiki I'm a doctor, and as a doctor I have my principles."

                "Principles you seem to forget at times when she is brought into the equation doctor."

                "You heard him how he was talking. What he could do!"

                "Please stop and think about that doctor. If you act now you will put her in more danger, then what will your sense to protect be worth? Leave this be doctor, just treat Ranma's little boo-boo and let us walk out of here. No tricks, no pressure points that will disable him. Do you understand doctor?"

                "How can you be so calm about this Nabiki? I can tell just by being around that boy that he is trouble. I will not let him get near…"

                "Ranma will get what he has coming to him doctor. If you do what you are supposed to do and just fix him up. Do not do anything stupid doctor."

                With a sigh Doctor Tofu nodded and turned towards the patient area where Ranma was waiting.  "He had just better watch himself." The doctor whispered as he walked over to the table. "Here Ranma let me take a look at that wound." Dr. Tofu stripped the bandage that was on Ranma's face off, making Ranma wince in the process.

                "So Doc how well do you know the Tendo's?"

                "I have been taking care of the Tendo family for many years. I have grown very attached to them. You could say they are like a second family to me."

                "Hmm, so have you gotten a piece of one of the sister's ass then?"

                The young doctor just stood there looking at the obstinate boy in front of him. He was using every ounce of his control not to tear the boy to pieces right at that moment. 

                "Come on Doc tell me, have you been muff diving while giving any one of the sisters an examination, or have you had any of them polish the old torpedo?"

                "Ranma your wound is fine. I give you a full bill of health. I suggest you leave now. You don't want to be late to your challenge now do you?"

                "Yeah I guess your right Doc. Though honestly Doc, how far have you gotten with the three Tendo daughters?"

                "Ranma I suggest we go now." Nabiki commented hearing what Ranma was asking of the poor doctor. Noting the murderous intention that was in his eyes she believed the best thing to do now was to get Ranma as far away from Dr. Tofu as possible. Though she couldn't blame him for his thoughts, she still needed the pervert for the fight.

                "Here I will escort you out."

                "No need Dr. Tofu we can find our own way." Nabiki commented getting in-between the two. She knew that if the doctor were to close to the pervert he would be too tempted to try something.

                "Well, if you need anything just ask." 

                "We will Dr. Tofu." Nabiki commented leading, or rather pushing Ranma out of the clinic. She did not miss the hidden meaning in the statement, nor did she miss the glare to Ranma's back. It was lucky for him that she needed him for the fight or she would have left him to the mercies of the good doctor in an instant. She just hoped that Akane's faith in her fiancee is justified. She didn't want to deal with this pervert any more than she had to. 

                After getting Ranma out of the clinic, Nabiki quickly proceeded to the dojo. Right now, all she wanted was for Ranma to get his head handed to him on a silver plate. The sooner this was over with the sooner she could continue with her life without the possibility of a marriage in the near future. As they neared the dojo, Nabiki noticed Akane waiting outside the front gate. She was dressed in a silk, long sleeved yellow top with light blue pants. The pants were tied off at the ankles just above her slipper feet. Nabiki could tell she had also put on a bit of makeup as well.

                "Why so dressed up Akane?" She asked walking up to her sister, a smile decorating her face.

                "Daddy's idea actually." replied the younger Tendo sister. "He actually wanted me to be in a wedding dress, but I quickly persuaded him otherwise." Turning her attention to Ranma, she asked. "So is the pervert good enough to fight?"

                Ranma scowled at the girl in front of him replying. "You bet I'm good enough. You just be ready for after the match when you won't have to really worry about clothes at all. Though I must admit that that garment suits you well for your last few hours as a virgin."

                Akane's face grew dark as she clenched her fists at her side. "I will enjoy seeing you beaten to a pulp Saotome. Make no mistake about it you will be beaten, and beaten severely. My fiancée is the best Martial Artist around. He will make you wish you had never set foot in Nerima by the time he is done with you."

                "I guess we'll see about that huh?  Once I beat him and that sister of his shows up, I will enjoy my bounty from this fight." Ranma went in the gates after saying that leaving two angry girls glaring after him.

                "You know I have never really hated anyone before, that pervert is the first. It's amazing how he ever got to live up to sixteen."

                "Don't let him get to you Akane. If you are right about your fiancee then we have nothing to worry about, as long as he can deliver. You are not just boasting are you? We are risking a lot on this fight. If Ranma should win then not only can you say farewell to your virginity, but Kasumi and I will also be put at risk with Ranma living in the house at all times."

                "You don't have to worry Nabiki; Kenchi will take care of Ranma. I am definitely not boasting about his skills. I have seen him in action, and I know he has trained under some of the best Martial Arts masters available today. I have faith in him Nabiki as should you."

                "Unlike you dear sister I don't have the information on him that you have. Remember I have only seen him fight against the likes of Kuno a few times. Most of those fights ended too fast to see any real skill. It was mostly just a punch to the face and the idiot was out for the count while traveling across Nerima via low earth orbit. Most of the time it isn't even Kenchi that sends the jerk into la-la land, but you dear little sister."

                "Actually Kenchi sees Kuno as a good training dummy for me. Kuno never really fights me full out true but Kenchi rates my strength on how far I can hit Kuno in the mornings. He wouldn't even let me hit Kuno like that if the pervert couldn't take it. It took a couple of weeks to condition him to be able to take hits like that."

                "You mean you have actually been training Kuno!"

                "Of course!  Who else would I spar with? No one around here is even close to the level that Kenchi has made me achieve. Ranma has actually been the most challenge for me in a long time. I would really enjoy having him around if it wasn't for his girls are only to be used for sex toys attitude. For all his boasting, he can fight quite well. He is not at the same level as Kenchi of course, but compared to me he would make an excellent sparring partner. It is really too bad that he is such a bully though. He has the potential to be a great Martial Artist yet he squanders his talent and forsakes the code. The art is not used for ones own gain it is used to protect the weak and helpless. A Martial Artist protects family honor and the honor of those around him. Even then, a martial artist doses what is right. Someone like Ranma will use the art for his own benefit. All he wants out of the art is to be the best, and to bully those beneath his skill. It is someone like him that gives the art a bad name."

                "Well said," came a reply from behind the two girls, making them both jump in surprise. 

                "Kenchi!" Akane called out giving him the biggest glomp of his life. Then stepping back and slapping him.

                "What was that for?" Kenchi asked stepping back from the girl he wished to marry.

                "That was for scaring me half to death just now. This on the other hand is for being here." She replied jumping towards him and planting her lips to his.

                How long the liplock would have continued will always remain unknown as Nabiki interrupted the couple before they could continue any further. "Come on Akane you shouldn't do that in public. It is kind of embarrassing throwing yourself at him like a cat in heat."

                Akane stepped back from Kenchi as blushes enveloped both their faces. "We had better hurry and get inside. The others are waiting for us and we don't want to be late." She said in a rush pulling Kenchi inside the gate.  With a sigh, and wondering how her sister could be so lucky for the thousandth time, Nabiki followed.

                Akane led Kenchi inside the house pausing only to remove her slippers, and to allow Kenchi to remove his before dragging him further into the house.  She led him into the dining room where they found Kasumi and her father sitting sipping tea. "Father I would like you to meet the man I wish to marry, Morisoto Kenchi. Kenchi this is my family, Kasumi my older sister," Kenchi looked over to the older girl bowing in greeting. "You have already met Nabiki," Kenchi smiled at the girl who walked in, also giving her a curt bow. "Finally this is my father Tendo Soun."

                Kenchi bowed to the patriarch of the Tendo house. He then produced a bottle from seemingly nowhere, and presented it to the older man. "It is an honor for you to invite me into your house Mr. Tendo. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude."

                Soun took the offered bottle, inspecting it. What he found made his eyes go wide. The bottle was a very expensive brand of sake, in fact it was a brand only bought by those very well off. "Well son this is a very fine gift. However, we should get down to the business at hand. I am sure that you are aware that Akane is to be wed to the son of a good friend of mine. She has been promised since before she was born to this marriage to unite the Tendo and Saotome schools of Anything Goes Martial Arts, formally Indiscriminate Grappling."

                "I am aware that a daughter of the Tendo family has been promised into this marriage yes. However, having spoken to both my potential fiancée and the boy you wish her to marry, we have decided on an honor fight to decide if this is to continue."

                Soun looked the boy over carefully as he stood there calmly. The boy was dressed in a red long sleeved Chinese shirt with Chinese dragons embroidered up the sides. He wore black drawstring pants tied off at the ankles, that didn't hide the corded muscles of his legs. He also wore two black bracers on his wrists that seemed to mach the ones on Akane's wrists yet bigger to accommodate his size. His face seemed kind and wholesome while his blue eyes radiated piece and tranquility. He had dark black hair that was braided down his back. The boy seemed to be a good choice as a potential husband for Akane, yet he could not let his dreams go. She had to marry Ranma and unite the schools. It has been his dream since the day both he and Saotome had taken care of the master.

                "Oh my, shouldn't we head out to the dojo father?"

                "Yes, yes.  I'm sorry, let's get this over with, shall we?" Soun got up and proceeded to walk out past the shoji, he led the group down the walkway and into the dojo where the Saotomes were waiting. The two of them were talking as the group entered. 

                Ranma looked towards the door as Mr. Tendo walked in. He and his father were going over strategies on how to handle the fight. For some reason the old man thought that the challenge would be a problem. It wasn't as if his rival could beat him. So what if he had been resilient in the fight this morning, in that fight he had been a girl. In this fight he would be a guy so it shouldn't be a problem.

                As the patriarch of the Tendo clan stepped into the dojo Ranma was surprised to see not the Kuno boy he was expecting, but the boy with the blue eyes from class that had given him the chills before. He could still feel the power in those eyes even now. By the boy's side in came Akane and after them her sisters. Ranma was still surprised at not seeing the boy he was expecting to see when he asked.

                "Hey where is that Kuno guy I'm supposed to be fighting?"

                "What are you talking about? You're supposed to fight Kenchi, my fiancée, Ranma, not Kuno. What gave you the idea that you were going to fight Kuno?"

                "The idiot said he was the one that was your champion that's why. So where is he?"

                "He is probably at home trying to figure out a new plan to defeat Kenchi, and going on about how he was robbed of his right to date the fair Akane and his Red haired goddess Linchi." Nabiki commented as she sat in her place to watch the upcoming fight.

                "Oh my! Is he that boy that was causing all that trouble before for Akane?"

                "That's him sis. I remember when he used to follow you around school all the time too."

                "He never did get the hint that I was never interested in him. He was such an immature boy if I remember him right. Oh young men are just so young." Kasumi commented shaking her head and earning sweat drops from those around her.

                "Well yes, anyway let's get this mach over with shall we?" Soun spoke up gaining the attention of the occupants of the dojo. "This fight is of course to see who will be the one to marry Akane and inherit the dojo. This is to be a battle of skill so there is to be no special techniques and such." This earned a glare from Akane while Kenchi and Ranma just shrugged. The rule didn't mean much to both as Kench was out to teach Ranma a lesson, and Ranma was determined to use any means necessary to win anyway.  Ranma knew that he would just have to keep the tricks he planned to use more hidden that was all. It didn't matter though as his old man had taught him many things on how to win a fight. He would have liked to see what this Kenchi had though. Kenchi on the other hand knew what he was facing and didn't see a problem with the outcome of this fight. In terms of skill he knew he way outclassed Ranma. He could see it in the way Ranma moved and held himself. Ranma did have potential though. It was something he would have to look into once this was taken care of. His attitude would have to be adjusted as well or he wouldn't get very far in life as it was.

                "Does each of you understand the terms I have laid out before you?" Soun looked at each boy verifying they understood. With a nod he led them to the center of the dojo where they each took their positions to the left and right of him. With another nod Soun held up his hand, and with a quick swipe brought his hand down as he stepped away from the two boys.

                Ranma quickly took to the air, as air combat was the specialty of the Saotome School. However as he brought his leg into position for a leaping kick he found himself passing through the image of Kenchi. Ranma quickly readjusted himself trying to get his bearings on his elusive opponent. Kenchi he found was standing behind him smirking.

                "You will have to be faster than that Ranma." With a frown Ranma leapt towards him with a quick jab that should have landed on Kenchi's face. Though Ranma was sure that his punch was heading for the other boy's face he found no resistance. He kept up the jabs yet each time it seemed as if he was punching air. Ranma backed off from the attack eyeing the boy in front of him with a wary expression on his face. It seemed that this Kenchi was a bit better than he thought. It didn't matter, all the boy was doing was acting defensively he just needed to figure out how this Kenchi was avoiding his punches.

                "You won't win this fight you know. I will take Akane and that little tart of a sister of yours and really be enjoying myself after I defeat you."

                "You really think you will win Ranma?" Kenchi asked crossing his arms across his chest. "You haven't shown me anything yet that has given you an advantage in this fight. This isn't even a proper warm up."

                With a growl Ranma again leaped at Kenchi again leading off with a punch yet changing that punch into a grab trying to latch on to the elusive boy in front of him. He was surprised, as he seemed to pass through where Kenchi was supposed to be. No one he knew of could move that fast, not even that Amazon hussy he had beaten, and she was fast. It looked like he would have to use the same tactics here that he used in the Amazon Village.

                Reaching into his shirt, Ranma pulled out a small clear vile containing a white powdery substance. He turned to face Kenchi concealing the vile within his shirtsleeve for easy access. He then stood and waited for Kenchi to attack, as he could not get close to the martial artist otherwise. 

                Kenchi watched Ranma carefully as he turned.  He saw Ranma put something up his sleeve and became even more cautious.  He could not get over the feeling that Ranma was up to something. It was in the moves that he made. The expressions on his face as he attacked were of determination and it seemed to spark something from within. That feeling that he had been in the same situation as Ranma but on opposite ends was dominant in his mind. As though he had faced this sort of battle where he was the cocky infant that thought he was the best of all martial artists of his generation. Yet, as Cologne had taught him, being the best is not in just winning battles. The best knows when to battle and when not to battle.

                As Ranma recovered from his impromptu attack Kenchi watched as he took a loose stance as if he was just standing watching the other casually. The stance fooled Kenchi as much as a vacuum salesman can fool a car salesman. In other words Ranma wasn't fooling Kenchi at all with the deceptive stance. 

                "You know Ranma…" Kenchi started also taking a relaxed stance. "It may be better for you if you concede this contest now. Though I hope you don't as I wish to show you just how pathetic you are."

                "I'll show you whose pathetic loser!" Instead of taking to the air as he had done previously Ranma rolled into a kick intending to strike the elusive martial artist in the groin. Again, he came up striking air as Kenchi seemed to dance around him. With a frustrated growl he turned towards Kenchi again striking for a sensitive area on the body. Again he failed to connect. As he took a step back Ranma knew he was in more trouble than he had originally thought. The boy was just too fast to hit. It was humiliating the way he was dancing around making him look like a fool. The damn asshole wasn't even attacking just dodging everything thrown his way as if he was so superior that he wasn't worth his time. Ranma smirked as he thought of something that might be able to get the faggot where he needed him. This was anything goes after all so who says that he couldn't use anything at his disposal. 

                Ranma again took to the air, however instead of aiming a punch at Kenchi his strike went for Kasumi who was sitting over to the side. Kenchi saw Ranma's move and moved to counter the strike. It angered him that Ranma would involve an innocent in their fight. As Kenchi caught Ranma's arm though, Ranma turned and let the vile hidden in his sleeve fly also popping the cork at the top. A white powder seemed to fly out towards Kenchi and would have made contact with him if Kenchi had not noticed the move and removing his hand from Ranma's arm glided out of the way of the powder that seemed to be aimed for his eyes.

                When he heard a scream of pain Kenchi turned to see that some of the powder had gotten on Kasumi's arm touching the skin of her wrist. The skin where the powder touched was burning. Quickly Kenchi made his way towards the girl in a flash. Being careful not to touch the sleeve with the powder on it he quickly used he ki to minimize the pain that was making the girl scream. He tore off the sleeve of her dress from the elbow down making sure that anymore of the powder did not come in contact with her skin. He then applied more ki to the burns on her wrist making them all but disappear. It was made easier as not much of the powder had touched her.

                Through with helping Kasumi, Kenchi turned towards Ranma who seemed to be looking for something again inside his shirt. Throwing the sleeve in his hands away Kenchi jumped to the attack. He took Ranma by the throat lifting him into the air.

                "How dare you use a chemical like that? Do you realize that you could have permanently scarred Ms. Kasumi with the burns that it causes? It wasn't Ms. Kasumi that you were aiming for though was it? You were aiming for my eyes. If you had been successful in getting that stuff in my eyes I would have been blinded for life!" Kenchi then reared back and punched Ranma clear across the dojo. Quickly following the boy he proceeded to work Ranma over putting a bruise on every inch of his body.

                On the sidelines Genma was worried, it was apparent that his son was losing this battle, and losing badly. The other boy was just too good for him. He saw that when the boy had healed Kasumi's burns that the boy had excellent control over his ki. To make burns just up and vanish like that was amazing. Genma was no fool when it came to noticing the potential of fighters. He knew when someone was outclassed, and his boy was way outclassed. He needed a way to help the boy, or they would lose everything that he had spent years working for. His life would again return to the road having to work everyday for survival. He wouldn't be able to mooch off his friend as he had planned to do when he came here. Genma glanced over to his friend and saw the hard stare that he was giving to his son. Genma had to admit it was careless of the boy to throw the white powder and hit one of Soun's daughters. Genma knew though that Soun wanted the marriage of both their families. It was probably why he wasn't up screaming at his boy. Still he needed a way to help Ranma or he would lose. He knew of one technique that might be able to help, but he had vowed long ago never to use those techniques again. As he saw his son once again get battered across the dojo he made his decision. Taking a peculiar stance he seemed to vanish from sight unnoticed by the other occupants of the dojo except one.

                While Kenchi was turning Ranma into bloody goop he noticed one of the ki signatures of the dojo seem to disappear. He was about to finish Ranma off and look into this more when pain began to flair up his back. With a cry of pain Kenchi kicked out seemingly at nothing.

                The other occupants of the dojo looked at the boy strangely as he seemed to kick and punch at thin air ignoring Ranma who could barely stand as it was. They saw that he was about to finish the other boy off when a painful expression came over his face. Now he seemed to be going crazy attacking at nothing.

                Kenchi knew that the one causing the pain was around somewhere he just had to find him. He reached out with his senses trying to identify where the bastard was. As more pain seemed to flare up his back Kenchi felt it, or more accurately didn't feel it. In fact he didn't feel anything. It was as if a hole had opened up in a certain spot. It was a hole of nothingness that seemed to push all senses away from that spot. Concentrating on the nothingness while stopping his mad attacks he calmed himself. He had to stop the one that was doing the attack yet he needed to keep his cool as his masters had instructed him many times before. He felt that the nothingness was again moving behind him before the attack could occur he leapt towards a recovering Ranma.

                Ranma saw the attack coming just as Kenchi wanted him to and leapt to counterattack. The counterattack failed as Kenchi seemed to blur out of the way again however, Ranma felt his fist strike flesh he also felt painful strikes to his chest making him cry out as his body fell into whoever was punching him. Then Kenchi was there again laying punch after punch into him. He felt his teeth loosen at a particularly hard punch to the face. Soon after he felt the coppery taste of his blood as it went down his throat from the cut to his inner cheek.  

                The others were surprised as Ranma seemed to collide with something in mid-air as Kenchi seemed to blur out of the way. They then watched as Kenchi again began to lay onto him and whoever it was that Ranma had run into. To their surprise Genma appeared black and blue from many hard hits. Kenchi stopped his attack and with a roundhouse kick, and with a "Kia!" sent both Saotomes through the dojo wall and straight into the koi pond. Where a panda and a badly beaten girl floated on there backs unconscious.

                With a sigh Kenchi turned to the Tendo patriarch and bowed saying. "I believe that is match, sir." In shock, Soun nodded to the boy not able to say anything as his dreams of uniting the two anything goes schools went down the toilet. He was being torn apart. While one part of him wanted to go and rip both boys to shreds for even daring to involve Kasumi in the fight, another part was thankful she was alright. In the course of most of the fight his mind had simply shut down. Even now he could hardly think on what to do.

                With a yelp of joy Akane was by Kenchi's side in an instant giving him the glomp of his life. He just smiled and wrapped his arms around the excited girl hugging her warmly.

                "Remind me sis that when you say someone will come through to listen. That was some fight; I wish I could have sold tickets." Nabiki said walking up to the pair. Luckily, she had taped the whole thing though. It should bring in quite a profit for her if she could market it right.

                Kasumi was the next to speak walking up next to Nabiki. "Thank you for stopping the burning Kenchi-san that had hurt a lot."

                "I am just glad that the powder did not get anywhere else on your skin. That type of chemical has a tendency to be very nasty. That was a very dishonorable move that he pulled there. It was especially dishonorable when he used an innocent in the process."

                They all looked out the hole in the dojo wall when they heard some moaning coming from that direction. The four teenagers made their way over to the koi pond looking down upon the recovering girl and panda.

                With a shake of her head Ranma looked up into the blurry faces of the Tendo sisters and the bastard that had knocked him into the koi pond. With a growl she stood up on wobbly legs getting into a fighting stance. "This battle isn't over yet asshole come on and fight!"

                "I'm afraid you're wrong Ranma-chan you were knocked unconscious therefore you lost the fight and now have to give up your rights to marry Akane and the dojo to Kenchi here."

                Ranma stared at the blurry form of Nabiki with hate in her eyes then turned her glare to Kenchi and Akane. "This isn't over. I will have her if it is the last thing I do, and neither you nor anyone else is going to stop me." The girl then got out of the pond dragging her father behind her as well as she could with her injuries. 

"Oh wait Ranma before you go." Nabiki spoke up. "This is for you." She gave her a slip of paper then turned back to her family.

"What's this?"

"Why the bill for the doctors check up of course. You didn't think that would be free did you?"

She smiled turning again to face the beaten martial artist. "I'm sure you will be able to handle it and don't forget to stop by for treatment for those injuries you have. I'm sure he will be more than happy to help you out further." Ranma couldn't be sure but her smile seemed to get darker as she said that.

 With a "Humph" Ranma tuned again to the gait to leave the Tendo compound. Not paying the least amount of attention to the rocks that she was dragging the panda over. She ignored the moans of pain coming from the panda while she was dragging him along over sharp rocks and cement. She even ignored her own pain. All she could think about as she left the Tendo compound was how she was going to get her revenge on Kenchi Morisoto. Knowing once he was defeated he could then take what was his. He would make all three Tendo sisters suffer for this as well. Not only would he content himself with just raping Akane and humiliating her in the most provocative ways, he would also do the same to her sisters. While he was at it he would make Kenchi watch as he took his precious fiancé's virginity, if she even was a virgin that is. They would all pay for this humiliation, and pay for it dearly.

                Once the Saotome men were gone Akane went back to hugging her true fiancé a happy smile on her face. She looked up into his eyes seeing him blush but looking back at her with love and caring. They were interrupted from their thought as Nabiki spoke up.

                "So when's the wedding?"

                Akane looked over to see Nabiki smirking at the two of them while Kasumi looked a little flush. Again she turned towards Kenchi seeing him blush deeper and smiled at his shyness. He just looked so cute like that, she thought. 

                "Ahh, well we thought that we should wait to get married until after high school at least. I would at least like to wait till college, but Akane here won't hear of it."

                "You bet I won't hear of it! You and I are getting married buster. I am willing to wait three years but I won't wait any longer than that." She scrunched up her nose at him frowning. In fact if she could, she would like to get him into a tux this very second and to a church so they could be on their honeymoon by tonight.

                Clearing his throat Soun made his presence known. Though it galled him to the core that Ranma had lost the fight to this boy the fact remained that the boy had won. True he was mad about what had happened to Kasumi yet she seemed fine and would not suffer any ill affects. He would just have to lay into Ranma when he got the chance once this current dilemma to his plans was taken care of. How to take care of this problem was beyond him for the moment yet he would get this problem taken care of. The house of Tendo and Saotome would be joined or he would die trying to make it so. "I congratulate you on your victory young man. As promised you will be Akane's fiancé.  However, I wish to meet your parents before we make this official."

                "You do not have to worry about that Mr. Tendo. Although my father is dead and mother missing, my aunt will be dropping by here to meet all of you. She is my current guardian until such a time that my mother can be found."

                "So you are searching for your mother? What is her name?"

                "I am not sure of her name really. I have been going over records of women that my father would have known before he died. I have looked at records of classmates from school and other acquaintances that he could have loved. My aunt doesn't know who she is either. I believe my grandmother knew who she was, yet my grandmother has passed away." Kenchi looked down at the ground sadly earning a supporting hug from Akane.

                "Well son I wish you luck on your search for your mother. Concerning this engagement though you understand that it is a great responsibility, do you not? You must understand that I cannot wait to long for an heir to take over the school. This is the reason that I wished for Ranma as Akane's husband as they would then take over the school and produce those heirs."

                He was about to say more when he noticed the glares he gained from his three daughters. It was a surprise to him when it wasn't Akane or Nabiki that spoke up, but Kasumi.

                "Father! Akane is too young to be starting a family. How is she even to get any students in the dojo if she does not have an education to run the dojo properly? Were you just going to say here you go now start teaching? We would be homeless within a month." Kasumi then turned to Akane with a stern look. "Akane please say you will not quit school to start a family too soon. You still have so much to learn about running the dojo properly…"

                Soun looked at his daughter in shocked surprise as tears came to his eyes. "B…b…but the dojo Kasumi. Think of the dojo, a…a…and my d…d…dream. How could you yell at your father like that? Whaaaaa!"

                "Now father stop your blubbering. Akane is just…"

                Kenchi interrupted Kasumi by placing a hand on her shoulder. "We are not going to quit school Ms. Kasumi. We both know we have much to learn about running a dojo and life altogether. As I was saying, we weren't planning on getting married until after our senior year of school so you do not have to worry."

                With a sigh Kasumi conceded. Yet she still worried that her little sister would get over her head. What if she started messing around and became pregnant. There were just too many what ifs and that worried Kasumi most of all. Giving her more doubts about leaving her family for collage. Could they really get along without her there to help and be the mother they needed? Would her sisters really be able to handle their father? The questions were just too numerous. Kasumi sighed again looking at the two who had again started gazing into each other's eyes. As the group started into the house, Kasumi looked over the koi pond thinking of her mother and what she would have said in a situation like this. With a final sigh, Kasumi followed everyone into the house and then went to make some tea while the arguments about the engagement were settled. It was turning out to be a very interesting day.

                At the edge of a city, a boy stood looking over the buildings from a cliff.  His hair was unruly and he wore a yellow bandanna with black polka dots he wore a yellow shirt and black pants tied off at the bottom. With his angry brown eyes he laughed. "Soon Ranma Saotome, I will have my revenge. You will not escape me now that I have found Tokyo." 

                A "Clang!" rang out as a mettle object met with his head. "This is Osaka you Jackass. How you could get us lost when you were given that map by that old man, I will never know.  That was a very detailed map! You even said you knew the way there!"

                "Gee you don't have to be so uncute about it." He replied back. His companion brandished the weapon that had so recently smashed him over the head. "Would you care to repeat that?" With that he took off with his companion right on his heels trying to brain him a second time. "Get back here Ryoga and take your punishment like the pig you are."

                "Ahh!!  Come on, Ukyou.  I was just kidding." He replied trying to escape from his crazy companion all the while blaming one Ranma Saotome for his current situation. He shouted up to the sky as he ran "Ranma this is all your fault!"

Authors Notes:

                So here it is the end of chapter four. For next chapter if you couldn't tell by the ending of this chapter will be dealing with Ryoga and Ukyou. How did they meet? Why are they traveling together? Why is Ukyou letting Ryoga lead the way? Also Kasumi has a talk with Dr. Tofu. All this and more on the next chapter of What's in a Name. 

                Sorry to all of those who asked to be my prereaders yet were unable to be. I am thankful for the support I have received on this story. I would also like to thank my current prereaders for the feedback you have given me. I don't know when I will have the next chapter out as I am having problems with real life situations. I will get it out as soon as I can though. 

                I have been asked repeatedly on if or when Kenchi/Ranma will get his memories back. The fact is that at this point he will get only sketches of that life. He may find that he douse not wish to remember that time of his life. Remember at that point he was only six years old. As far as what he will remember and when just keep reading the story. All lot is going to happen in the next couple of chapters. 

                On a note, if anyone wishes to right a side story to the events that happen in this story let me know. As long as it douse not interfere with the flow of this story I probably won't mind.

                Well until next time thanks for reading.  


	5. Chapter 05

I do not nor have I ever owned any character relating to Ranma 1/2. Though I wish I did own them that way I would be living in the life of luxury at this moment I do not have that much talent or funds. So the point is I am writing this story for fun and will never get any payment from it. I will never be able to sell this story for any sort of profit. I will still suffer being next to penniless.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
A Time for Decisions  
  
As she walked down the street looking over the consumable items she was out shopping for, Kasumi was deep in thought. Her thoughts kept returning to the discussions between her and her sisters. Her thoughts ranged around discussions ranging around her future in the operations of the family. It was frightening to think that her family did not need her in the house. After her mother had past away it was the only thing she had that made her feel close to her long dead mother. The home was the only way she thought that she could make her mother proud of her. It was her purpose to make her father and sisters live up to what her mother would have wanted them to become. Yet was it really what her mother wanted them to become or their father? Nabiki and Akane were right when they had said that their mother did not take any guff from their father when it came to their children. She could remember a time when her father had made the mistake of telling her mother that Akane would never amount to anything in martial arts because she was just a girl. After her mother had gotten through with him he had never said anything derogatory towards his daughters again. He had even stopped complaining that he had never had a son.  
  
Kasumi smiled at a vendor as she inspected some fruit she was out to buy. During her inspection she noticed a young man walking down the street on the opposite side she was on. In fact it was a man she knew very well as she often took her little sister Akane to see him. She was startled as the man usually was in his clinic at this time of day. She smiled at the vendor again and selected the fruit she was out to by. After finishing up her purchase she made her way to follow the young doctor. She had always admired the young man. He was mature, successful, handsome, caring, and though a bit silly when she saw him he could always bring a smile to her face. In truth she enjoyed how he always seems to act silly around her. It was like he would always try to lighten her mood in any way. If she was feeling down at all she knew she could always go to see him and he would always make her feel better.  
  
She saw him stop and rushed to catch up to him. All the while wondering about all the things she had to discuss with him. She knew that he would give her the answers she needed. He was wise and caring if a bit weird at times. She always enjoyed his company though and valued his friendship. It was her wish that one day they would become more than just friends and acquaintances. However she had made a vow to her mother to see her sisters happy and cared for before she left them. They needed a mother there to look after them. When she was close enough to hear what was being discussed she stopped in shock.  
  
"Well there doctor do consider my offer you know how my daughter looks up to you."  
  
"I know that Mr. Yama but I could not ask your daughter to take the job of being my assistant when her studies take priorities. I will consider it though I could use an assistant I just feel your daughter is a bit too overwhelmed at the moment."  
  
"Oh you know that my Hikari won't be a going any further in her schooling Doctor. She be a good nurse though and she make a fine bride."  
  
"I know that she can conduct herself Mr. Yama. You should have more faith in her."  
  
"Oh come now Doctor you know that women don't amount to anything more than housewives an assistants to us men. They need us to give them direction and put them in the house were they belong."  
  
"Do you believe that doctor?" Kasumi asked as she walked up to the talking men.  
  
The good doctor froze at the voice. His glasses fogging up while his normally sharp mind turned to Swiss cheese. He turned to look at the beautiful girl behind him her beauty making his knees go week and heart to flutter.  
  
"H...h...h...h...he...hell..hell...hello Kasumi, what a coincidence to see you here of all places?"  
  
"It was a shock to see you here as well Doctor. I couldn't help but hear your conversation and was wandering if you agree with Mr. Yama's view."  
  
"Oh come now little missy. You are the perfect example of what a woman should be. Everyone knows that your father has turned you into what it is to be a proper woman. Even more than your mother was."  
  
"My mother was a very proper woman Mr. Yama."  
  
"Oh I'm not saying she wasn't dear but she did have that temper of hers. Much like that younger sister of yer's. She was one of those tomboys like that." Mr. Yama smiled at Kasumi then closing his eyes he continued. "You however dear Kasumi have become every mans dream. The perfect girl who takes orders from men, as she should. You don't go around making with those silly idea's of running businesses and stuff like that. You have realized, as most women should, that her place is in the home taking care of the kids and husband. Yes you know your place and it is well you should. Isn't that right now good Doctor?"  
  
Both Kasumi and Mr. Yama looked at Dr. Tofu who was at that moment in la la land and unable to really put together any coherent thoughts on the matter at hand anyway.  
  
"Well Dr. Tofu do you believe what Mr. Yama said. Is my place just in the home like he said?" Kasumi looked at the young doctor who was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. "Well doctor do you believe what Mr. Yama is saying?" Kasumi again asked getting a tad impatient.  
  
"Kassssssummmmi I...I...I...I don't know what to say? It is a lovely day out today isn't it? I must totally agree." He stopped yammering as Kasumi put a hand on his shoulder his back going completely rigid.  
  
"Dr. Tofu I truly wish for an answer to this question. Do you believe that my place is only in the house? That I could not make something of myself on my own?"  
  
"You needs to just get yourself a good young man there little lady." Mr. Yama spoke up for the doctor who was about to fall over in complete shock.  
  
"Mr. Yama I do think that I could make something of myself outside of the home though. True I did stay home to look after my sisters and father, but that was my decision because they needed me there."  
  
"Come now girl you know as well as I do that you wouldn't be able to last out here in the real world. Not a frail girl like you dear. You need a good man to be there to help you. You just need to stay home and look after them babies. Isn't that right Doctor Tofu?"  
  
Due to his brain having the synapses response of a sloth the good doctor made the biggest blunder of his life. He nodded to Mr. Yama's question.  
  
"I see."  
  
Kasumi stepped back away from the two men and began to walk away. She didn't say anything more as she felt her insides turn.  
  
How could he? She thought with a tear coming to her eye. How could he think that I am nothing more than a frail little girl that needs someone to take care of me? Is that what everyone thinks of me? Do they really think I can't do anything? Why didn't I see this before? Did I really not want to see what I was becoming? Am I truly just a little china doll in their eyes?  
  
As a tier fell down Kasumi's cheek she made up her mind. She would no longer stand by and forgo her life. She would no longer be what everyone else thought she should be. For all her life all she ever wanted was to be like her mother. Yet as she went along she realized that her mother had been completely different from the woman that she was becoming. Yes, her mother was kind and sweet, but she also did things her own way. She never let anything stand in the way of her dreams. Her mother had helped her father make the dojo what it was. Her mother had been the one to get the students into the dojo. Not her father who thought that it was his doing. Her mother had fulfilled her dreams, now it was time for Kasumi to fulfill hers, and nothing was going to stand in the way of it.  
  
Look out collage here comes Kasumi Tendo. You had better be ready Dr. Tofu because this little china doll housewife is going to be your competition.  
  
With that thought Kasumi raised her head up high and made her way home to make a couple phone calls. Phone calls that would change her life drastically.  
  
Meanwhile at Furincan High school a boy with black trousers tied at the ankles, a yellow shirt, and a yellow and black spotted bandana, along with his partner were coming up to the gates.  
  
"Are you sure this is the right place?" The boy asked his companion.  
  
"Yes you jackass! How many times do you have to ask that damn question? Look at the freaking sign on your left why don't you?" His companion responded.  
  
The boy did just that and found himself looking at a road. "I don't see a sign." The next thing the boy knew his head was being turned violently towards the other direction he was looking. There in front of him on a brick wall was a sign saying Furinkan High School.  
  
"Get a sense of direction jackass." His companion grumbled while walking towards the front gate of the school.  
  
"Hey wait up!" He yelled following.  
  
Akane was walking out into the school halls with Kenchi when Ranma approached them. He had a leer on his face and growled as he got closer to the two.  
  
"What do you want?" Akane shot out as Ranma blocked their path.  
  
"You, I want you, bitch that's what I want." He growled as he got into a stance. "I want to pay both of you back for the humiliation you have brought upon me and my family."  
  
"You and your father brought on your own humiliation Ranma. Now I wish to walk with my fiancé home if you don't mind?"  
  
"Yes I do mind you son of a bitch! Akane was supposed to be mine but you took her from me asshole!"  
  
"Akane never belonged to anyone Ranma. She is my fiancée by her choice alone. Not because of a forced engagement or anything like. I asked her and she said yes."  
  
"I will not accept this mockery!" Came a cry from down the hall. Soon the school idiot came charging down the hall with his sights set on Kenchi.  
  
"Morisoto I will never accept your engagement to the fair Akane Tendo! Do you hear me?"  
  
With what seemed like a quick kick to the face Kuno fell over with a thud. "I do not need your permission to marry Akane, Kuno. The only person I really need permission to marry her is herself. So shut up and let me finish my discussion with Ranma will you?"  
  
He turned back to Ranma and saw that the other boy was on the floor as well. Smiling he looked to his red faced fiancé "Well I was going to try and settle this without him getting disgraced again Akane. I could have stopped him you know."  
  
"I know, but he was really getting to me. He tried to grab me while you were distracted with Kuno."  
  
"I know I could feel his movements. Just like I know that he is not unconscious right now are you Ranma."  
  
With another growl Ranma got up from his position on the floor. "You will not get away from me Morisoto. I swear you will pay for what you have done."  
  
"Ranma Saotome I have done nothing to you that you have not deserved."  
  
Before Ranma could do anything more Kenchi took Akane into his arms and jumped out a nearby window. Angrily Ranma followed not caring to the shock of the other students that they were on the third floor of the building at the time. As he jumped out the window Ranma realized too late that Kenchi did not just jump out and drop down to the ground. He was balancing on a thin ledge just outside the window with Akane still in his arms. Ranma being too late to grab the ledge fell feet first into the schools swimming pool down below. The students who had gathered were shocked when it was not Ranma that came up from the pool but a blond haired girl in Ranma's clothing. Most of the student body already thought of Ranma as a creep and a pervert, now though they saw him as something else.  
  
"What is going on?" One boy asked looking into the pool. "What happened to that new kid Ranma and where did you come from?"  
  
"Did you see that? That boy just turned into a girl."  
  
"Yeah it was that new pervert Ranma"  
  
"What type of freak are you?"  
  
"Gee I knew Akane had a reason for not wanting him but who could have imagined this?"  
  
As the gossip started to spread Ranma became even more upset. Seething at the humiliation that Kenchi had again brought upon him, Ranma now a she looked over to see Kenchi land with Akane still in his arms. He saw him shaking his head as he let a smile come to his face which infuriated Ranma even more. He snarled at the pony tailed boy getting angrier by the minute. The next words out of Akane's mouth didn't help matters either.  
  
"You know Ranma if you want to keep that curse of yours a secret you should be more careful. Why did you jump in to the pool anyway? I thought you were a great martial artist who wouldn't need a soft landing from falling a measly distance like say the third floor."  
  
"Now Akane don't be rude. After all he didn't know that the pool was there. He may have just accidentally fallen in. However I must agree that you should be much more careful in the future Ranma. You could hurt yourself if you are not. However, as a good jester here is some hot water."  
  
Ranma quickly snatched the hot water kettle Kenchi held up in his hands. Where he got the thing he didn't know and didn't care just that it was hot water to change back into a guy. That is he didn't care until the scalding hot water reached his hair and then his scalp seeming to burn him through. Even though Ranma was again a boy he was now very upset at the two other martial artists in the vicinity.  
  
"You have humiliated me for the last time Morisoto."  
  
"Die Saotome!"  
  
As the shout came in the boy in question jumped back as another boy came from above angling an umbrella to strike where he had been only moments before. This was unfortunate for him as jumping back made him end up once again within the school pool. Turning him into a girl yet again.  
  
"This just isn't your day is it Ranma?" He heard Akane say as he again stepped out of the pool. "So what did you do to piss this boy off? Try and get fresh with his..."  
  
"Saotome Ranma for the humil..."  
  
The boy was cut off from his tirade when a loud clag was heard and a large spat was seen smashing into the boys head.  
  
"Ryoga you jackass what do you think you are doing?"  
  
"Dam it Ukyou why did you do that? I was just making my entrance hear and about to smash Ranma Saotome to bits finally."  
  
"Great you jackass just do that. Before you do though, I would suggest you look around you. You know, before you go and say, oh I don't know, attack some girl with blond hair."  
  
"Huh?" Ryoga turned around and saw Ranma in his girl form staring at him as well as the other students of Furinkan High. "But he was here a moment ago Ukyou I swear. Dam you Ranma! Because of you I've seen hell!"  
  
"Excuse me, I know that we all don't really like Ranma to much but would you mind telling us who you are." Akane asked confusion written on her face. The two newcomers turned to her the one named Ukyou was about to speak when the boy named Ryoga interrupted her.  
  
"I'm Ryoga Hibiki and this is my tomboy of a fiancée Ukyou Kuonji." A loud clang was again heard as Ukyou's spat again found its way onto Ryoga's Head.  
  
"Will you stop calling me that right off the bat jackass. Besides we won't have to get married in the first place if I can find Saotome in time. So shut up about that sugar."  
  
"But your father said that we have to get married Ukyou, you know to hold up the honor of our families and everything. I mean when he found me in your room and everything."  
  
"RYOGA YOU JACKASS" These words were followed by the bandanna wearing boy to be driven into the ground up to his knees. "How many times do I have to tell you that nothing happened, so we DO NOT HAVE TO GET MARRIED!"  
  
"Don't you think you are being a little rough with him?"  
  
Ukyou looked over to the boy who had spoken and glared. A glare that would usually send Ryoga into shivers each time it was sent his way. Kenchi however, took the glare in stride and walked over to the now half buried Ryoga. Pulling him out he proceeded to check over Ryoga's injuries. Finding everything ok he let the boy go.  
  
As Ukyou watched the boy take out her fiancée she took in his features. She noticed the ponytail he wore and the way he seemed to glide as he walked. She noticed his blue eyes in fact they were the same eyes that she remembered looking at as she was playing with her old friend.  
  
"Who are you, sugar?" Ukyou sweetened her voice as her grip on her favorite weapon tightened.  
  
"He is my fiancé, Morisoto Kenchi." Akane spoke up as she did not like the way the professed girl was looking at her fiancé.  
  
"Really, so you are to be married to him? So where is his father?"  
  
"My father is dead. If you want to know you can ask me yourself. I would also stop thinking what you are thinking. I am not Ranma. He has green eyes not blue like mine. He is also a pervert and a creep."  
  
"Just because you are not as manly as me Morisoto you don't have to wine about it." Ranma said having turned back into his male form again.  
  
"You are a pervert Ranma not a man." Came the response.  
  
Upon seeing Ranma Ryoga began to move to attack the green eyed boy. He was stopped however by a hand on his shoulder. It surprised him. He could usually muscle through anything with his strength. "I would not do that as we have not ascertained the reason you both wish to attack Ranma. I said it before we may not like Ranma but I will not let you attack him in my school without knowing the reason."  
  
"He made me see hell!" Ryoga yelled in his face.  
  
"How did he make you see hell is what I want to know?"  
  
"It is because of him that I have that tomboy as a fiancé, when he never showed for our man to man challenge."  
  
"What was the use of showing up lost boy? You would never have made it anyway. You probably never even made it home that day did you idiot?"  
  
"RANMA!!!!"  
  
"I would stop, anger will not get you anywhere. I would also stop insulting him Ranma."  
  
"You should butt out Morisoto. We don't need your holier than thow attitude."  
  
"Never the less you will need to listen to it Ranma. Now Ryoga, would you please continue?"  
  
"You don't know the tortures I went through."  
  
"Then why don't you enlighten us?"  
  
Ryoga scowled at the girl standing next to Kenchi. How could he tell them of his plight, his embarrassment? It was all Ranma's fault didn't they understand that? Didn't they know how evil he is? Couldn't they tell? Why were they questioning him on such matters as why he needed to justify his plight to get revenge on Ranma Saotome? There should be no question on his right to beat the living daylights out of his arch nemesis. Why were they making things so rough for him?  
  
Ryoga was about to come out with another scathing remark when Ukyou interrupted him. "First of all this jackass was late to a duel that was supposed to happen between the two. Then he went and followed the Saotome's to China where he picked up some kind of curse that he wont tell me about for some reason. Then he goes and gets lost in my bedroom at home and falls asleep in my bed while I am sleeping there which ends up with my father catching us in the morning in the same bed and getting engaged. In order to get out of that though all I have to do is find Ranma and make him honor his engagement to me or die for the honor of the Kounji family for what he and his father have done to us. Dose that answer some of your questions?"  
  
"Well sort of I guess. How about you Akane, did you follow all of that?"  
  
"Yeah I guess I did but what I want to know now is what Ranma did to Warrant someone hunting him down like this? Did he make some perverted moves on you Kounji-san?" Akane asked the girl.  
  
"No my Ranchan wouldn't do something like that. We were kids together. One day my father asked his father if we could be engaged. In offering of the engagement my father offered our okonomiyaki stand as a dowry. However, the jackasses took off and left me behind. I was so humiliated by that. It got so bad I had to forsake my womanhood just to get by. I spent my time constantly perfecting my skills in the family arts. Each day against the crashing waves I would practice and prepare...  
  
It was at this time that Ukyou noticed that everyone else had broken into their own little conversation. Some were even eating an afternoon snack.  
  
HEY I'M TALKING HERE!!!  
  
"We are listening as well as we can." Kenchi replied as the ringing in his ears subsided. "Perhaps we can do this another time though as Akane and I need to get back to her place. We have some important business to take care of there. I know your story sounds interesting, but with the object of your story already gone there is no longer any point to this conflict here I think. What do you think Akane?"  
  
It was at this time that the others noticed that Ranma had made a quick disappearance. What they did not know was that during Ukyou's monolog he had again tried to kidnap Akane and she had punted him into what is commonly referred as Low Earth Orbit or (LEO).  
  
"Perfectly fine with me dear. Let's get home before anything else happens. I sure don't want to find out that you have a fiancé that I don't know about. That would really make my day."  
  
"What would you do if one did come after me Akane?"  
  
"Why pound you into mush my dear. Then show the hussy why I am the only one that you will be marrying."  
  
Looking into her fierce expression Kenchi smiled and kissed her in front of everyone there. It was only a light peck but it did turn a few heads.  
  
"Kenchi! We are in public you should wait for stuff like that."  
  
Noticing what she said Akane quickly looked around and noticed all the shocked faces looking at her. Blushing to her core she pulled a smirking Kenchi along with her out of the school yard while saying "jerk" under her breath.  
  
Nabiki followed the couple out of the school yard toward home. She was shaking her head at the antics of the couple. Dam it Kenchi should be hers. She couldn't even get him to look her way much less get him to drop her sister. She had been trying for a few weeks now to get the boys' attention but he only had eyes for her sister. How did the girl get so lucky? True she did not go out of her way to break them up. She only did little things that would break most teenaged romance up yet the two saw through most of those. Well Kenchi did at any rate. He seemed to smell out any rumor or lie and shelve it post haste. It was with these thoughts that she noticed the two newcomers following the couple as well.  
  
At the Tendo dojo Soun Tendo was in a quandary. How was he going to get his daughter to marry Ranma? His little girl was getting too many ideas in her head by being with that other boy. How dare he turn her against her father like that? She should be obedient to him like Kasumi was. He needed to cull this independent streak of hers. He needed to get her married to Ranma so the two Anything Goes Martial Arts schools would be joined. As Nabiki would not take over the school he would have to deal with her later as soon as he took care of Akane. Both of his little girls needed to be protected like any other little girl.  
  
Soun was distracted by a knock at the door. He waited for Kasumi to come and open the door to lead the visitor in. As the knocking continued he grew curios as to why Kasumi had not answered the door yet. He got up and proceeded to the door wondering where Kasumi was.  
  
Souns thoughts of Kasumi's whereabouts were cut off however when he opened the door and soon had himself glomped.  
  
"OHHHHH KENCHI HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME?!!! HAVE YOU CHANGED THAT MUCH IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR?!! WAHHHHH HOW COULD YOU?!! JUST LOOK AT YOU!!!! YOU HAVE LET YOUR HAIR GET SO LONG AND YOU TOOK IT OUT OF THAT CUTE PONYTAIL!!!! YOUR EYES ARE SO MEAN AND SHIFTY!!! OHH MY POOR KENCHI!!!"  
  
"Um excuse me madam? Um I think you might have made some sort of mistake? You see I am not this Ken..."  
  
"DON'T YOU WORRY KENCHI AUTY IS HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU NOW!!!"  
  
"Umm madam I am not Kenchi." Soun got out releasing himself from the glomp. "Do you understand that? Now what I would like to kno...."  
  
"Oh Kenchi you don't have to worry I will not let anything happen to you now." The woman cut him off glomping onto him again.  
  
"B...b...b...b...but lady I am not..."  
  
"Daddy what are you doing?" Came a voice from the gate.  
  
"Uhhh aunty why are you glomping my future father in law like that?"  
  
It is safe to assume that Soun in his own right is a martial arts master. After all he does own his own dojo. He did survive his training with his perverted master. He does even from time to time teach. So it was to his surprise that he found himself through the wall of the house and indented into the outer wall of the yard. How such a small seeming woman could do that to him is a mystery in itself. However with a wimpering "Ouch" Soun fell from the wall onto his back in a daze.  
  
The woman, after throwing Soun through the house wall and into the outer wall turned her sights on Kenchi and his fiancé. Her eyes became glassy and, holding her arms out proceeded to glomp onto Kenchi. Driving the air from his lungs as Akane looked on.  
  
"Um Kenchi? You know this woman?" She asked a frown appearing on her face. This of coarse was a mistake speaking as it turned the woman's attention onto her.  
  
"Oh you must be the girl Kenchi has written to me about. Oh how adorable." This being said while pulling Akane into the glomp along with Kenchi.  
  
"Aunty what are you doing here so early? I wasn't expecting you for another hour or so." Kenchi gasped out while trying to breath in the woman's python like grip.  
  
"Oh you know nothing could keep me away from you my little Kenchi! I Just had to get here as soon as I could!"  
  
In the background a recovered Soun started to giggle when she called Kenchi her little Kenchi saying "I can't believe it Little Kenchi, what a joke."He soon found himself with a face full of pissed off aunty though giving him the meanest stare he had seen since the last time his wife had given him such a stare before her passing.  
  
"No one mocks my little Kenchi do you hear me, do you?!" She growled through her sneer also grabbing his cheeks pinching and stretching them.  
  
"Owww, ok lady, I understand, owe hey that hurts!" Soun cried out trying to free his cheeks from the crazy woman's pinching fingers.  
  
With his face in his left hand Kenchi held up a sign that his aunt couldn't see but Soun could. Spotting the sign Soun read aloud. "I am sorry o beautiful and youthful woman. I made a mistake for patronizing your dear little Kenchi and I should have known better. Please forgive me oh shining star of the heavens."  
  
As he finished reading the sign the woman let go of his cheeks smiling at him. "Oh ok now give me a hug to signify the union of our two families." She then proceeded to squeeze the life out of the Tendo patriarch.  
  
Now a little ways up the road from the Tendo place of residence stood to young women looking for their lost companion. Nabiki being one of those women was a bit shocked at the profanity that was coming from her current companion at the moment. That and the threats of bodily harm she was shouting out to their currently missing companion.  
  
"Ryoga you jackass where the hell are you now? How could you get your ass lost when I just turn my head for a second you retarded jerk!!!!?"  
  
"You have issues don't you?"  
  
The glare Ukyou gave Nabiki was not pretty.  
  
"You try to be engaged to a wandering buffoon and see how you like it!"  
  
"Hmmm, I don't know, his looks don't seem too bad to me. If he was wealthy I think I could see myself going for him."  
  
"You will keep your hands off of him if you know what's good for you!"  
  
"I thought you don't want him though?"  
  
Ukyou blinked at that realizing what she had said, but recovered quickly. Of coarse not quickly enough to escape Nabiki's notice of her protectiveness of the boy.  
  
"I mean if you don't want to get hurt by his incompetence then you will stay away from him since he is a trouble magnet and tends to be over zealous at times."  
  
"I'm sure." Nabiki answered as she walked through the gate of her home to see her father being glomped by an attractive older woman.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
The woman looked her way and the next moment Nabiki was confronted by 120 lbs of motherly love. She would have been concerned for her father as he again flew through the house wall and into the outer wall if she was not being glomped herself at the moment.  
  
"Oh how cute another suitor for my little Kenchi. How handsome a man he is!"  
  
"Auntie she is Akane's sister not another suitor. The only suitor I have is Akane."  
  
"Oh what about that little Amazon girl then, hmmm?"  
  
"Auntie you know as well as I do that I will never marry a cousin of mine. Even if she is not really related to me by blood she is still too much like a sister to me to marry. That is all I think of with Shampoo. She is my sister and that is all. I will not marry her. I am marrying Akane."  
  
At the angry proclamation the woman finally released Nabiki, who fell to the ground with a thud gasping for breath, starting to get tiers in her eyes.  
  
"Y...y...you yelled at me! Whaaaaaa"  
  
"Auntie I am truly sorry but you must understand that I am marrying this woman that I love."  
  
Akane then walked up to the sobbing woman putting a hand on her shoulder. "There now I know that Kenchi didn't mean to hurt your feelings he just wants you to understand that we love each other and plan to get married when we finish with school. He just doesn't want you to be confused is all."  
  
The woman looked up at Akane, and a smile came to her face she then proceeded to glomp onto the poor girl as if she was a teddy bear. This of coarse gave Akane the experience of what her father and sister had just gone through.  
  
Having recovered again from being faceplanted into the outer wall, Soun spoke up. "Well now how about we go into the house and we can get Kasumi to make us some tea. Then we can talk about this foolishness inside where I think we can come to the right understanding."  
  
"I am afraid I can't make tea at the moment father."  
  
Everyone looked up to see Kasumi walk into the front gate. Now it wouldn't be shocking that Kasumi would be walking into the front gate. Soun might have just asked where she had been and expected her to answer that she was shopping as such a good little girl was supposed to. Yet what had everyone of the Tendo's in aw was the fact of what Kasumi was wearing.  
  
She was dressed as Nabiki would normally dress in fact. Tan pants with white blouse. Pants belted at the waist. Moderately high heeled shoes on her feet. She had Makeup on her face which she hardly ever really wear. Her hair was up in a bun, and she had a white purse on her shoulder.  
  
"I am sorry I can't cook for all of you tonight but I have many things to take care of if I am going to be ready to begin my classes at University in two days." She said passing her shocked father and entering the house. "Please everyone come in I am sure you don't want to stay out on the front lawn all day do you?"  
  
With those words she proceeded inside the door and into the house. Kenchi pulled his Aunt and Akane along after her shortly followed by Nabiki and Ukyou. None of them bothered to move the statue that was the girls' father. He stayed on the front lawn for quite some time before walking mechanically into the house himself.  
  
AN:  
  
And with that I have finally ended chapter five of my story. I know it has taken over a year to post this story and as of right now this is a draft copy of this chapter. As soon as I can find the list again I will be sending this out to pre-readers.  
  
Ok just to head off any questions before they start because I may not be able to answer them anytime soon anyway. In this chapter Tofu acts idiotic. I know I did this for a purpose. The man needs to grow up. He needs to see that not paying attention can get him in trouble. Well I am giving him one hell of a wake up call. I have not decided yet if I will get Kasumi and Tofu together. If it does happen then I feel I will be taking something away from what I need in the story to happen with another character.  
  
As you can tell from this chapter Kasumi will be shortly leaving and this will affect the Tendo's. I want this to happen as they also need to know what it feels like to be on their own. In fact if anyone wants to write a side story on Kasumi's collage adventures just ask me first.  
  
I have been wondering about what some have been saying about me making Akane out to be OOC. I feel she is not OOC at all. If she gets mad she will still pound the living daylights out of the one who got her mad if she is able to. As far as acting nice she does that all the time in the Anime and magna so what may I ask is OOC about it? The only time she really gets violent is when Ranma would really call her names, when her father would shove the engagement down her throat, or when she was challenged.  
  
I have more planned that is coming for the other characters. One question that has been asked is when Kenchi will be found out as the real Ranma. First of all that will not happen right away. I still need to get Ranma's mother involved first. You will see in the next chapter that Auntie and her do not get along.  
  
Well as for next time we get to see Soun go into a fit. We get to see Soun, Genma, and Ranma beaten up by girls, and we get to see a little of the mistery of who the fake Ranma really is. Also someone from Kenchi's past pays a visit. Well Until next time I can get online with a chapter.  
  
Take care. 


	6. Chapter 06

I do not nor have I ever owned any character relating to Ranma 1/2. Though I wish I did own them that way I would be living in the life of luxury at this moment I do not have that much talent or funds. So the point is I am writing this story for fun and will never get any payment from it. I will never be able to sell this story for any sort of profit. I will still suffer being next to penniless

**What's In a Name?**

**Revelations**

People have different reactions to stress. Some people go out and talk or have fun to relieve the built up stress in their life. Some people keep all their stress bottled up and try to act as if nothing is bothering them. Then there are people like Soun Tendo. Who wine like a little baby until he floods the neighborhood or dehydrates whichever comes first.

Normally this is what would have been happening within the Tendo walls if not for one extraordinary fact. Soun had received such a shock that he didn't know what to do. So he just sat at the table waiting for his oldest daughter to come down the stairs and tell him she had only played a practical joke on her beloved father. That she was not going to be leaving him as her mother had done. After all she knew that the family depended on her. She knew that he depended on her. She couldn't be serous about leaving to go to school. What would she need school for anyway? She is a girl not a boy. She should not need to go to school. No she needed to get married to a man that he picked for her. She should be obedient to him and her husband when she married.

The only thing was, Kasumi was not coming down and telling him it was all some joke. In fact she was still upstairs doing whatever she was doing, while the rest of the family was sitting around the table talking to those people. It was their fault he knew. Mainly it was that boy Ken something or other faults. He was the one that had started this mess. If he had left his daughter alone then all of this would not be taking place.

Akane would be well married to Ranma and making an heir to the dojo as she should. Kasumi would still be in the kitchen making dinner. In that case he could at this point be making plans for Nabiki.

Yes it was that entire boy's fault. He would have to be dealt with somehow. The only problem was how to take care of the boy. After all he had somehow beaten Ranma and Genma. He must have cheated of course, but he still won the fight. So that meant that he as the patriarch of the Tendo clan was honor bound by the conditions set in the match to allow his daughter to marry the disgusting boy. Allowing his family to merge with the family of that boy was a thought that disgusted Soun to no end. The family was probably unclean or of a sort that would steal the dojo from the family from right under their fingers. The only thing that he could hope for was that his friend could think of a way to reestablish the claim of the Saotome clan. Then he could get rid of that disgusting boy and be done with it. Then he could get Kasumi and Akane back in their places and then start on Nabiki as a good father should be able to do. The only problem with that was the waiting. He had to wait on his friend to do something before he could act. He just hoped his friend would act soon or all would be lost. For now he had to wait and listen to the snot nosed boy's Aunt, rave about his attributes. Ha what a joke, the boy was nothing really special. Ranma was more of a man than this boy and he turned into a girl. If only he could get out of that dammed agreement. What to do what to do?

While Soun was deliberating the problem in his mind, Akane and Nabiki were getting to know the woman they had come to know as Auntie. Kenchi had disappeared somewhere and the two were getting rather nervous with her attention on them. It was Nabiki who stopped her from her praising of her nephew.

"Madam, we all know the benefits of Kenchi, but you really have not been introduced to us properly. "

"Oh dear, where are my manners today? I am Hitachi Masaki. Daughter of Morisoto Dachuchi and Yuma. Widowed wife to Hitachi Sato. OH THIS IS SUCH A NEAT LITTLE PLACE! HOW CUTE!"

Akane looked over at her sister as she began to get a twitch in her eyebrow. She couldn't understand why her sister was doing that. Usually she only did that when she found out she had lost a bit of money or something.

"Excuse me?" Nabiki began again. "Did you say Hitachi Masaki, as in the president of the Hitachi financial group? As in the Hitachi Masaki who is the president of the Hitachi financial group? As in the Hitachi Masaki who is one of if not the richest woman in the world? Do you mean you are that Hitachi Masaki?"

"Oh dear you have heard of me? Hmmm, I must get Kenchi to have you over to the office some time as we will be related and all. OH IT WOULD BE SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU SEE WHERE YOUR HUSBAND WILL WORK WHEN HE IS OUT OF SCHOOL!" Masaki said as she grabbed Akane in a first class glomp.

While Akane was getting the breath squeezed out of her Nabiki had gone into a state of total shock. Her mind was pondering how her little sister, her tomboyish little sister. Her I want to be a martial artist little sister. How she had just bagged the most eligible bachelor of their age group. Her little sister was going to marry the heir to one of the wealthiest families in Japan. Their fortune made the Kuno fortune look like chump change. This boy was loaded. And he belonged to her sister. Not for the first time did Nabiki direct the green eyed stair towards her little sister who was just getting out of her soon to be mother in law's death grip.

"I am sure he would enjoy taking me there Auntie, however I was under the impression that Kenchi was going to be teaching martial arts in a dojo?"

"I am." Came a voice from the kitchen. The three women turned to see Kenchi walk into the room with a tea set on a tray in his hands. "I am also going to be running Aunties company when I graduate. I know that your father has done a good job with this place but just teaching martial arts is something I don't see as a very profitable job. I do it because I love it and it is my life, but I have other things in my life as well. The company is one, Akane has become another."

"You're so sweet." Akane said giving Kenchi a kiss on the cheek waking Soun up out of his shock.

"Akane what are you doing!"

"Giving my fiancé a kiss daddy, what does it look like?"

"Akane I will not have you acting like a brazen tart in this house. I can't believe that you would do such a thing in front of your father. If your mother were alive tod...."

Soun was unable to say anymore as a fist impacted into his face. As the fist belonged to his youngest daughter, who by the way had been training with Kenchi for some time now, he was none the less surprised to find himself through the wall and imbedded within the outer wall again. His eyes grew wide as she came out of the wall through the hole he had just made on his way out to the outer wall with a blue aura surrounding her. He also glanced the tiers in her eyes but they were somewhat ignored from the fear he felt when eyeing his angry, and also violent daughter.

It turned out his fear was justified when she proceeded to turn him into a human pretzel. With a snap here a cry of pain there and a twist there Soun came out looking like a piece of abstract art. The only thing that stopped his daughter from continuing on her artistic talents was the arms of her fiancé as they wrapped around her trembling form.

"Shhhh Akane, stop this now. You need to calm down."

"He had no right to say that about mother, Kenchi. He had no right."

"I know love, I know. Here let's go out for a walk ok. We can come back a little later after everyone has cooled down some ok?"

She looked into his soft blue eye's and relented saying in a meek voice, "ok, Kenchi."

He then led her out of the gate to the Tendo property and down the street.

As the two left the only other two women in the vicinity stood over the twisted form of Soun.

"Daddy that was really uncalled for. Do you know what you could have done to us if you have insulted our guests?" Turning to Mrs. Hitachi Nabiki began to apologize for the rudeness of her father. "I am truly sorry for that Mrs. Hitachi; my father has it in his head that Akane was to marry the son of his friend. Kenchi of coarse won the right to annul the agreement between him and his friend, Saotome Genma."

At the name Saotome Mrs. Hitachi glared at Nabiki. "Did you say Saotome Genma, as in the Saotome Genma who married Saotome Nodoka?"

"I don't know his wife's name but Saotome Genma was the one who brought his son here to marry one of us. He is even still around somewhere. I can find out if that is his wife's name though."

"Don't bother. That bitch doesn't deserve to be looked up for any reason. She is a no good skank who doesn't deserve the time of day. The whore shouldn't have been allowed to breed. She is a no good tramp of a woman that does not deserve the respect that she thinks she should have. THAT BITCH DESERVES A PLACE IN THE DEEPEST PITS OF HELL!!!!"

"Um ok then I guess you wouldn't need for me to look her up then right?" Nabiki asked as she stepped back from the hyperventilating woman. Mrs. Hitachi calmed herself and turned to the young woman before her.

"I am sorry dear; I sort of got carried away there. I should go for today. Tell Kenchi when he comes back that I will see him at home. Oh and dear please, DO NOT BRING UP THAT BITCHES NAME IN FRONT OF ME OR KENCHI DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Nabiki nodded her eyes wide as she did a demon head far better than her father had ever produced. Mrs. Hitachi then seemed to deflate and resumed her normal sugar high state.

"Good dear then just give Auntie one last hug goodbye." In which she then proceeded to squeeze the life out of Nabiki. This caused Nabiki to wonder if all rich people were this strange. That and wonder if Dr. Tofu would be available to do a back job for her today.

While Nabiki was getting the life squeezed out of her by an over zealous woman, Genma Saotome was getting the life kicked out of him by his erstwhile son turned daughter.

"Why did you even bring me here old man? Do you know how humiliated I have felt over the last couple of days? Because of you I have been subjected to loss after loss from Morisoto Kenchi and his bitch."

"It's not my fault boy if you can't be man enough to defeat the punk. You should have had him on that first fight but you were too much of a girl to defeat him. Oh why did I ever save you from that retched family I will never know? They have already turned you to much into a girl by the time I got to you."

"Shut up old man! You were the one that took me! You said you would make me into a real man not what my mother and sisters were turning me into. However all I have been getting lately is grief from you and it is making me sick! I would have been better off been raised as a girl than what you put me through."

"So you want to be a girl then boy. That can be arranged you know. You can just take some cold water like in this pail here and we can turn you into a girl right now."

Ranma quickly dodged the thrown water and continued to beat on his father something fierce. Of coarse this is the scene that Akane and an now annoyed and female Kenchi walked in on while they were taking a nice little walk in the park.

"You know you should watch where you throw cold water about." Kenchi said stopping the battle between father and son.

"Oh if it isn't the bitch and the friend of the bitch. What do we owe the pleasure of this visit? Finally give up on that idiot and come for a real man?"

Akane really didn't need to hear that at the moment with what was happening at home. Of coarse with Ranma in front of her she could relieve some stress. A good pervert beating is just what she needed. Yes, that is just what the doctor ordered.

Ranma got an uneasy feeling in his stomach at seeing Akane's smile. It was the sort of smile he would see his father make when he was about to fleece a chump and get away scot free. The type of smile a shark would make at his prey at he bore down on it.

"Linchi, would you mind stepping to the side. Ranma and I need to have a bit of a discussion."

"Are you sure you want to do that Akane? I know what type of mood you are in right now."

"What is the bitch in to much a state to fight properly or something? You afraid she might get hurt by fighting a man like me? I don't blame you of coarse I would really like to take something out of her."

"Actually I was worried she would put you into a pine box. I don't want my brother's fiancé to go to prison because she killed a pervert."

"YOUR BROTHER?!"

"Yes my brother Kenchi, he would be most disappointed if Akane were to get into trouble by killing you. It would make things ever so difficult to marry her in prison. Of coarse Auntie would be really mad as well and that would be murder."

"Don't worry Linchi I won't kill the pervert just make him hurt real bad. I can do that can't I?" She asked giving Linchi a look that would make the most cynical of men melt, and then spend all their money on the woman in question.

"Hey, who am I to stop my brother's fiancé from beating the snot out of a pervert like Ranma. Just remember not to kill him is all."

Akane again turned towards Ranma that evil smile again appearing on her face. She took a step towards him when Genma stepped between them a smile on his own face.

"What do we get if my boy wins this match?"

Linchi and Akane looked at each other then at Genma in confusion. Still seeing the evil smile on his face gave her a chill up her spine.

"What do you mean what will you get?"

"Well this being a match and all what are the terms."

"I just know I get the satisfaction of beating the snot out of this pervert." Akane said now not paying attention to the smile as she should have.

Linchi on the other hand caught on to what the old fool was up to. She began to scowl heatedly at the man knowing what was coming next and in her anger Akane would fall for it hook line and sinker. Linchi knew Akane could take Ranma normally even though he would cheat Ranma would still lose as Akane would not give him time to pull off anything. It was Genma that was the problem. His interference would tip the balance in Ranma's favor. She knew he would make some type of move towards Akane during the match as he did in the match with her.

"Well then our condition if we should win is that you dissolve your engagement to that boy you are currently engaged to and marry Ranma."

"What! I will never marry that pervert!"

Linchi watched as a smile appeared on Ranma's face as he realized what his father was doing. He probably thought that a win against Akane was in the bag compared to fighting against Kenchi. What he didn't know is that in the weeks since his arrival Akane and her have been working on techniques to make sure that he would never be ably to subdue her. That and Akane was royally pissed off. Though it would be easier if she just didn't accept the terms, however by the smile on Genma's face, Linchi had a feeling that he would goad her into it. They really had to work on that temper of hers. It could really get her into trouble one of these days.

"Well then I guess you really don't want a fight then. It is just as well after all you are only a woman. You could never really keep up with a real martial artist. A small little thing like you should be working on tea ceremony and cooking. You should be working on something like flower arranging, not martial arts."

"That's it! You want a fight you got one. I agree to your terms old man. I will show you who's a martial artist."

Linchi sighed as she saw the trap that Akane was working herself into. However she could make sure that Genma stayed out of this fight as well. She would allow Akane to have her beat down on Ranma, she would not interfere with that but, she would be dammed before she let Genma get involved as well. Besides how could she marry Akane if she lost due to Genma's interference?

As the fight began Linchi made her way over towards the older man keeping an eye on him at all times. At first it looked like he would actually stay away from the fight. Then Akane started getting more and more hits on Ranma. It was recognized early that he was going for painful and disabilitating moves against Akane. They were recognized and countered swiftly. Akane's improvement in skill made her proud. When Akane made a hard punch to Ranma's gut sending him ten feet back on his knees coughing up his breakfast Genma tried to make his move.

Genma made to jump at Akane when he was tripped up at the last minute. He looked up at the red headed pony tailed girl with a scowl. "Stay out of this if you don't want to get hurt girl. You don't want to mess with an Anything Goes Martial Artist of my caliber."

"If you are the top of the line of the Anything Goes Martial Arts School then I have nothing to worry about. After all you are looking at one of the masters of the All or Nothing School of Martial Arts. We train to be the best the right way. There are no short cuts in out training. There is honor or no honor, my school also includes Amazon Wu Shu. I have defeated the musk king Herb master of ki. I have defeated masters from across the world. Do you really think you can stand up to me Genma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts?"

With a growl Genma made a lunge at the erstwhile redhead and the fight was on.

Akane and Ranma traded blows back and forth. Ranma knew he was in trouble. Most of his tricks were countered already. He had tried blinding her with one of his powder pouches yet she had dodged that expertly. He had tried to take her out with a hit to her sensitive breasts yet she had countered that blow with a blow to his gut that was ten times the power of one of his punches. He ended up on his knees for a few seconds just trying not to vomit. He looked back at her scowling. She just stood there with a smirk waiting for him. After standing back up he lunged at her with a jump kick that would have taken her head off if it had connected. Yet she merely stepped out of the way of the kick and sent a side kick into the middle of his back. The blow sent tendrils of pain shooting up his spine. Again he found himself on the ground his legs refusing to move for a second.

"You bitch! You will pay for that!"

"Well then make me pay Ranma. So far all I see is you laying there on the ground bitching and wining about losing. Of coarse you are losing to a girl. I wonder what type of man that makes you?"

With an inhuman whale Ranma charged Akane. She was a bit surprised by the intensity of the charge. She took a blow to the shoulder that hurt but was able to shrug off the pain and snapped her knee into Ranma's gut causing him to gasp out a breath of pain. While Ranma was hunched over holding onto his abused gut, Akane did a spin kick hitting him on the boy's jaw sending him crashing into the far fence. She stalked over to the boy who was now sliding down from his impression in the fence.

"What now Ranma, is that all you have? Don't tell me we are done fighting already?"

Ranma knew he was beat. He could not figure out how to get past the girl's defenses. On top of that the girl hit like a pile driver. Even though he knew this he still got to his feet and started to taunt her through her family. It was the worst mistake he could make.

"You fucking bitch, you whore! I bet you sleep with every guy to come your way! I bet your mom was a whore just li..."

Ranma was unable to finish his sentence as with one hand Akane lifted him up by the collar of his shirt so tightly that it blocked his air supply.

"Never insult my mother jerk. Never even let the thought of her cross your small misbegotten brain. Do you understand me?"

Ranma through a punch at her menacing face, it was intercepted by her free hand. He began to struggle and scream in pain as she proceeded to crush every bone in his hand. He brought up his other hand to try and pry hers off his. She let go of him and proceeded to turn his face purple with bruises. He tried to kick out at her again, but she caught the kick as if it were nothing and then broke his shin in two places. Ranma cried out in pain again falling to the ground struggling to move away from the monster of a girl. She didn't let him get to far though as she again picked him up by the collar of his shirt and proceeded to give him one hell of a haymaker to his face. After which Ranma knew no more for the day.

Akane turned facing towards the spot where she had left her fiancée. Her face grew in shock at the fight proceeding in front of her. It was rare that she got to see a fight between masters. The fight before her left her in no doubt that it was two masters fighting. They seemed to dance between each other be it in the air or on the ground though as the fight continued it was clear who the better of the two were.

Linchi flinched as she took a hard hit to the thigh. She retaliated with a smart tattoo to the other mans back. The two separated each taking a small rest to reanalyze their opponent.

"Where did you learn Anything Goes girl?" Genma asked panting as he eyed the girl with suspicion.

"I have always known my stile of combat. You just made it easy for me to study yours while we fight. I must admit that your stile has a few good points to it. Though it also has many weaknesses to it as well. You flaunt what you learn. You underestimate your opponents not taking them seriously unless they prove to you straight out that they are the better. You are reckless and push society away from you as though they are of no use to you. That is your main weakness. Would you like for me to continue? You have many more that I can point out to you."

"Shut up girl! You know nothing of my art. We are the strongest. We will always be the most powerful of the martial artist because of our power. The great master himself could take you out with just a mere fleck of his pipe. I have only gone easy on you so far girl I suggest you give up now before I get nasty."

"Sigh, I have already seen all you can offer old man. Frankly you only impress me little as you have shown me a few new tricks. However that is all I see is tricks nothing that could really help you. Only get you in trouble with the populace."

"You wish to see power girl very well. Take this! DEMON ASSAULT BOMB! HEY LOOK OUT!" After shouting at her Genma proceeded to through vacuum blades at the redhead going for the easy win. It is sad he had to hurt her so bad but due to the insult of her family to his he had to teach the whelp a lesson. To his surprise the girl seemed to disappear from his sight and out of the path of the vacuum blades.

"Where did she learn the Umisen-ken?"

"So you want to bring in special techniques? Well Genma Saotome take this." At those words Linchi appeared in front of the older martial artist and proceeded to split herself in to multiple images circling him. "Can you tell which is the real me Genma Saotome? Behold the ancient Amazonian technique Splitting Cat Hairs!"

"You can't defeat me with such a simple trick girl! I am a master of Anything Goes Martial Arts. This is nothing! DEMON ASSAULT BOMB!"

Again Genma shot off vacuum blades to what he thought was the real girl. However, the blades just past through the image before him. This surprised Genma because he was sure that he felt her ki from that direction.

"Tut, tut, wrong one Genma. I think it is time to end this don't you. I really will have to be getting home soon after all." She then began to beat the stuffing out of Genma. It seemed to him that the hits were coming from every direction at once. The left, right, back, and front were all being hit over and over again. He felt pain in every hit over and over. From the tip of his head to the tip of his toes pain infused his body. The continuous pain kept up for about two minuets before Genma finally lost consciousness, falling to the ground in a heap with bruises covering every inch of his body.

"That Genma Saotome of the Anything Goes Martial Arts is how a master of the All or Nothing School of Martial Arts fights. Oh by the way thanks for showing something new here. It isn't often that I get to learn something more of the art. See you around then."

With that Linchi walked over to a smiling Akane, and the two walked away. Linchi had to admit that beating up on the Saotome's had been very soothing. Of coarse beating up punks who prey on the weak was always fun to her.

"So Akane when will your sister be leaving for school?"

"That is the question isn't it? She will need to leave soon because the new term starts in just a few days. I will have to ask her when I go home. I just hope father doesn't get to obstinate about it. This is Kasumi's big chance and she should take it. I kinda feel sorry for Dr. Tofu though. I know how much he liked her."

"The Dr. should have told her then. Kasumi is a grown woman and needs to make a life for herself. The Dr. can't expect her to wait forever can he?"

"No, he should have told her true, but he just can't seem to control himself around her. You have seen him; he goes absolutely nuts in her presence. Even a picture of her face will send him over the edge of sanity."

"If he really wanted her then he would get over that."

"There is also the dojo to consider in this too. If Kasumi gets married before me then the dojo would be endanger due to the inheritance laws. It is my dowry so if I don't get married first and get the tax reduced then we will not have the money to keep it. That is one thing that I don't want. I grew up in that place and do not want to lose it."

"Don't worry about that Akane. Even if Kasumi or Nabiki marry before you my family can handle that tax. You don't have to worry about losing your home."

"You know you are really sweet. I really wish you were in you Kenchi for right now so I could kiss you senseless."

"Akane! We're in public."

"So, that doesn't mean I want to kiss you any less." Akane smiled at the shocked girl by her side, and ran a ahead of her giggling.

A warm smile came to Linchi's face as she began to run after her erstwhile fiancé. The two then ran off laughing intending to enjoy the rest of their time together today.

Back at the Tendo dojo Kasumi was busy packing for her trip. Though calm on the outside she was in fact scared to death with doing this. It would be the first time she was away from home. Would her family really be able to take care of things when she was away? Would they really be alright with her gone? So many questions, yet she knew this was the right coarse of action. If she didn't go she would be branded as the little aloof housewife for all time. She had thought for a time that is what her mother was like yet thinking back her mother was never like that. She was nice and kind, yet she also knew what she wanted and took it. The dojo itself was as much her dream as it was fathers. It was her mother that had kept it to what would have been a great school before she died. Her mother had been the one to get the students in the door.  
Right now her father had squandered what he and mother had built. He was downstairs right now just sitting around doing practically nothing but letting his daughters run the house and dojo for him. They had needed him, and yet he had done nothing to help them. They barely made enough now to get by, and most of that was through the efforts of her and Nabiki through the name of their father. Now they would have to depend on themselves. She knew that her father would cause problems in the fact that he would still want a marriage between the Saotome family and theirs. It would be hell for her sisters in the time to come.

"So when are you planning on leaving sis?"

Kasumi turned to see Nabiki at her door, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed across her chest.

"My train leaves tomorrow afternoon. It will give you and Akane enough time to come home and see me off. I just hope I am doing the right thing."

Kasumi turned her face towards the floor, her eyes glassy as she thought of what she would be leaving behind. She felt a set of arms wrap around her then joined her sister by wrapping her own arms around her sister in a fierce hug.

"Don't worry Kasumi; know that you are doing the right thing. It is about time you got out and did something for yourself. School will be good for you. Don't worry we can take care of things around here. Don't let father dictate what you can and can't do. Hey I am sure we can even survive Akane's cooking for a while. I am sure she can't stay that bad a cook forever right?"

Kasumi smiled at her younger sister. She knew that Nabiki was right. She needed to get away and prove herself. Not only in the eyes of her family but, also in the eye's of the people around here and one blind idiotic doctor. With a smile Kasumi released her younger sister and looked into her eyes.

"Make sure to take good care of Akane Nabiki. I don't want to come home to the both of you in some sort of trouble."

"Well then that would be a waist of time Kasumi. When have you not known Akane to be in some sort of trouble that we had to not get her out from? Of coarse now she has that hunk of a fiancée to be with her. I am so jealous of her. How could she get someone so handsome and rich to fall for her?"

"Now Nabiki don't be like that I am sure you will find someone of your own. Like Akane there is someone out there that you will be able to bond with. How about that Kuno boy? I am sure he would like to go out with a smart girl like you."

"I am sorry sis, but I will never date Kuno in a million years. He is a delusional idiot that is hung up on Akane and Linchi. He bothers them as much as he can to get a date from them. No, Kuno is defiantly not the boy for me."

"Well like I said there is someone out there for you Nabiki."

"If he is out there he is not in Furinkan that is for sure. Oh well there is always collage to look forward to. I only have two more years to go before I go. I am slightly envious of you sis. You get to go and do something I have always wanted. I can't wait until it is my turn."

"Don't try to grow up to fast Nabiki. You should enjoy your childhood."

"Kasumi, the only one in the family that could really act a bit childish was Akane. With you leaving that will have to change as well. We can't afford to be children Kasumi. Mother's death and father's behavior sealed that for us. Now the only one that will probably act childish at all is father. Though Akane and I will give him a bit of a swift kick in the butt to get him to grow up if we can."

"I am sure you will little sister. Just don't be too rough with him. He is a very sensitive man after all."

"Kasumi, he is supposed to be the head of the family yet he acts like he is a little boy dependant on his parents still. He should be out working. He should be taking care of us as we take care of him. He should not be sitting around doing nothing but dream about having a great dojo. That will not come unless he works for it, and he is not working for it at all. You know that as much as I do. It is like Kenchi said before, you can have a dojo and do martial arts but that should not be your only occupation. He was right about that sis. Just like you need to get out of this place and learn how to operate outside of this house, he needs to do the same. It's a harsh world out there and if he doesn't get his act together he will find that he will lose everything he ever dreamed of."

"I know what you are saying Nabiki, it's just that with the loss of mother he has never been the same. He has been grieving, and I understand that he needs to grieve."

"Kasumi, it has been eleven years since mom died. He had his time to grieve but he should have taken care of us as well. He also should never have used moms memory to get what he wants by saying that mom would disapprove of a prospective love interest like he did to Akane a bit ago."

"He did what!"

"You heard me. He told Akane that mother would not approve of her love interest and that she was acting like a tart. All she did was give him a kiss on the cheek, and he blew up at her. She was giving her fiancé support and he tries to make it seem that was wrong while bringing mother into it."  
"I see, I guess he does need to learn that he can't get things to go his own way at times. There will be people out there that will not stand for his behavior. If he angers the wrong person he could get into serious trouble."

"He almost did that with Akane's new fiancé earlier. He almost insulted his family. That would have been his last mistake as they could buy this property right out from under us and force us out without a whim. The Hitachi's are not a family to be trifled with."

"Did you say Hitachi, as in the Hitachi financial group?"

"That is exactly who I said."

"Oh my, and they are also the ones that are giving me my scholarship for school."

Nabiki was about to respond to that when an eager "I'm Home!" came from the front door. Nabiki went to the door and called down to her younger sister.

"We're up here sis in Kasumi's room. Could you come up here for a bit there is something's we need to discuss with you."

Soon enough Akane came into the room a bright smile on her face. Her smile kind of lost some of its vigor as she spied the solemn looks of her sisters.

"What's up? Why the glum faces?"

"We were just discussing the changes that have been going on around here. Your engagement, Kasumi going off to collage, with a scholarship from your fiancé's company no less, and daddy's behavior in the last few weeks have been a couple of our discussion topics. I see that you have gotten more chipper since you left."

"Oh Nabiki you should have been there. Linchi showed up after Kenchi had to leave and we ran into that pervert Ranma and his father. We then proceeded to beat the snot out of them. Linchi actually let me take Ranma by myself. She of coarse dealt with his father, but it was fantastic."

"Oh was it? What were you fighting over if I may ask?"

"Well I just wanted something to hit, but they made a condition that I would have to give up my engagement to Kenchi if I lost and become Ranma's fiancée again."

"Akane! What were you thinking?"

"I won though Kasumi"

"It doesn't matter Akane. What you did was dangerous. Kasumi is right to be shocked. What if Linchi had not been there? You saw how Ranma and Genma cheated in their fight against your fiancé. Do you think you could possibly stand up to both of them if you were there alone?"

"I wasn't though."

"What if you were? Akane you must understand that the Saotome's don't work on the honor system the same as you would. They cheat to get what they want. You are just lucky that your fiancé's sister is just as good a martial artist as her brother. Did she actually challenge Mr. Saotome or was she just guarding your back while you took on Ranma?"

"I guess she was guarding my back."

"You need to understand Akane that if she was not there you would have lost, and right now we would be in the same situation that your fiancé got us out of."

"He said I wasn't a martial artist though and I was just a weak little girl. I couldn't let that stand."

"Akane, he was just goading you into a fight. Of coarse Ranma would..."

"Actually it was Mr. Saotome that said that."

"Even better, was it him that made the terms of getting you married to Ranma?"

"Yes."

"Akane, do you want to be married to Ranma?"

"No, of coarse not Kasumi, I would rather kill myself than be married to a pervert like him."

"Then learn to think before you act little sister. One of these times he will get you alone and they will try to goad you into a fight again. This time however, Kenchi or Linchi will not be there to help you when you need it. Then you will be stuck in a loveless marriage with a creep that will rape you every night and probably take advantage of others while he is at it. You and Nabiki will be on your own here with only father. I know father will not care if Ranma somehow takes advantage of you. Father's main hope right now is for one of us to get pregnant with Ranma's child for an heir to the dojo. It seems he can't get that out of his head."

"Sis is right, you really need to be careful and control that temper of yours little sister. One day that temper will really get you in trouble. You have a lot right now. Do you really want to risk losing it because you got angry at someone for saying you aren't a martial artist? We all know you are one. If you are challenged or challenge someone else you need to make sure there are other's around. That is one the reasons I like to get a crowd to see your fights. That way there are plenty of witnesses to see what happened in the fight. That way no one can say something else happened."

"I thought you just liked doing that so you get the most profit you could."

"That too, but that's beside the point."

"She is right Akane. You still need to be careful out there. If you go and try to hit the wrong person one day it could mean more trouble than it is worth. You should never hit someone in anger. Is that what a true martial artist would do?"

"No Kasumi, a true martial artist wouldn't ever strike someone in anger."

Akane looked down at the floor a pout coming to her face. Both Kasumi and Nabiki came over and gave their younger sister a hug.

"We are just trying to look out for you Akane. You have so much, and we would hate for you to lose it because you got angry and went overboard one day. Kasumi is not going to be here to help us and in a couple years you will be on your own. It will be up to you to keep this place up. That will mean you need to know when to deal with things not with your fists, but with your head instead. I will be here to help for the next two years but you will need to figure things out for yourself here soon.

"I know sis. I guess I do have to learn to control my temper like Linchi said."

"Smart girl, I see she already had a bit of a discussion with you on this?"

"Yes, she didn't put it so bluntly though Nabiki."

"Well that is me you know. I come with things straight out. Unless there is a way I can get paid for the information of course."

"Nabiki!"

Nabiki looked back and forth between her older and younger sisters who were giving her dark looks after both yelling her name. "What? A girl needs to make some cash somehow right?"

Her smile returning Akane turned to her eldest sister. "So Kasumi, are you nervous about leaving? When are you going to be going anyway?"

"My train will leave tomorrow afternoon. It will be enough time for both you and Nabiki to get home from school to see me away."

"Well while you finish packing then I will go ahead and cook dinner!"

"Actually Akane I was planning to take Kasumi out tonight to celebrate her going to collage and all."

"Hmmm, that isn't such as bad idea Nabiki. I guess while you two are out I can make something for daddy though. I know he wouldn't want to celebrate with you. Now what can I make for us?"

Nabiki watched her little sister walk out of her sisters room almost skipping in anticipation of cooking a feast for tonight that she knew her father would love."

"You know Kasumi; there is no payment in the world I would except to be daddy right now. I just hope he survives. We need him still for all the paperwork on this place."

"Oh my, I just hope my kitchen will survive. Oh, my poor, poor kitchen, what ever will happen to it?"

Nabiki smirked at her elder sister and replied. "You need to remember sis. It is no longer your kitchen. You need to let it go. After all you will have your own kitchen soon enough. Now let's get out of hear before we somehow get shanghaied by father to stay and eat Akane's cooking."

"Oh my yes let's get going."

So the two Tendo sisters took off leaving their father to a fate he so rightly deserved. It was a night full of pain and suffering of the stomach, in which no antacid could remedy.

The next day we find Akane and Nabiki walking together to school with Nabiki giggling at the antics of her temperamental sister. "Oh come on Akane don't be so mad. You know daddy was just in a bad mood this morning."

"That didn't give him the right to call my cooking the embodiment of Satan himself. I mean I know I am not the best of cooks but I am trying."

"I know you are sis, but you need to learn to also taste your own cooking before you serve it to others. If you don't like it how do you expect others to like it."

"Now I have been trying to tell her that for a while."

The two sisters looked up to the fence by their side and saw Kenchi there smiling down at them.

"So if isn't the boy wonder himself, come to see your fiancée have you?"

"Why of course Nabiki. Why wouldn't I come to see my beautiful wife to be?"

With a blush on her face Akane turned to her fiancé giving him her ten thousand megawatt smile.

"Kenchi, stop embarrassing me!"

"I'm sorry Akane; I just love to see that smile on your face though."

He then proceeded to jump down from the fence and stepped between the two girls putting an arm around Akane in the process.

"Well ladies shall we get to school?"

"Showoff." Akane whispered with a smile at her fiancé.

"I know, I know I shouldn't be such a showboat but I just can't help it. I just feel so happy today."

"Oh, and what makes you so happy today?" Nabiki asked looking over to her sister's fiancé.

"Well, it just seems like just a nice day. What isn't there to be happy about? The sun is out, I have my fiancée by my side, I am going to not have to deal with Ranma today, and I found out that my aunt totally approves of Akane. It is just a great day!"

"Your aunt approves of me?"

"Yes, isn't it great?! Of course she did go on and on about grandnieces and nephews last night for some reason."

Akane blushed to the roots of her hair when Kenchi mentioned that. She couldn't get the dirty little thoughts out of her head of what they would need to do to make those Grandnieces and Nephews.

"Well sorry to burst your happy moment, but we had better hurry or we will be late for school. I don't think it would be good for us to be late and standing in the hall all day would it?"

"Your right Nabiki of course, come on you two, let's get to school then."

"Right behind you darling."

"Oh please, don't make me sick."

With that the three ran off for school. They ran through the gates, running over Kuno in the process before he could even get a word in, and proceeded into class for the day. At lunch the three met up again and sat together under the tree that Akane and Kenchi would usually sit under on warm days.

"So why are you sitting with us today sis?"

"Because Akane I want to keep an eye on you so you don't go off and embarrass yourself today. I know how pumped up you are today."

"Nabiki!"

"What, am I wrong?"

"NABIKI!"

"Ok, ok, I was just joking sis. I just wanted to sit with you today that's all. Is that a crime?"

"No I guess not, it's just that you usually are out doing your business at this time."

"I don't need to worry about that today. All my subordinates are taking care of things for me. So I get to just be here with my sister and her fiancé to talk. Also to find out if your fiancé has any other single male relatives I can get involved with."

"NABIKI!!!"

"I know my name Akane you don't have to shout it."

"I see you have irrigated yourself well with the girls around here sonny boy." Spoke a voice that seemed to come from all around.

"It is about time you said something Old Mummy I thought you were just going to sit up there all day."

There was a sudden WHACK and then Akane and Nabiki saw a three foot old woman appear in front of them with a stick imbedded in Kenchi's head.

"Who are you calling an Old Mummy sonny boy?"

"Why you old mummy." Kenchi said with a smile looking at the old woman while ignoring the stick on his noggin.

"Still as obstinate as ever I see." She replied removing the stick from his head.

"You wouldn't love me any other way and you know it."

"Um, Kenchi, who is this?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Akane. Akane, Nabiki, this is Cologne leader of the Chinese Amazons, holder of ancient martial lore, and my I don't know how many greats grandmother. Cologne, this is my fiancée Akane Tendou and her sister Nabiki."

Cologne looked over at the two girls appraising them then looked back at Kenchi. "So you have a girl do you? I thought you were never going to get married sonny boy."

"What can I say I fell in love. So, why are you here granny? I am sure you are not here to visit your favorite student."

"Sadly you are right. I am here searching for Shampoo."

"Shampoo, what is she doing here in Japan?"

Akane, Nabiki, and Cologne could all see the worry that came to Kenchi's face at the mention of the name.

"She was in the tournament this year as you know. She actually won even. Then something unfortunate happened. There was this girl and her panda eating the first prize that should have belonged to her. She wound up challenging the girl to combat and lost most grievously. The girl used a dishonorable tactic throwing some powder into Shampoo's eyes. The girl won of course but made Shampoo pay a serious price. Shampoo was blinded permanently. We found out shortly after that the girl was a boy cursed at jusenkyou. Shampoo didn't want to marry someone who would act so dishonorably though in her weakened state he was almost able to force himself on her. I was able to stop him and drive him and his father off. Shampoo however did not take the humiliation well and left. She is trying to hunt down the boy to kill him as a normal warrior would do. Yet she does not have the skill yet in her state to stand a chance against him. I am afraid for her life if she should run into him again. The last we heard he was coming here to Japan."

"Raaaannnnmmmmaaaaa!" Kenchi growled fiercely looking down at the ground in furry.

"You know of the boy?" Cologne asked looking between the three teenagers.

"Yes," Nabiki answered while Akane put her arms around her distraught fiancé. "His father and ours wanted to set up an engagement between out families. Kenchi helped us out of it by defeating him in a match of honor for the hand of Akane. Kenchi of course won. Ranma had even used the same powder that I believe he used on this Shampoo of yours."

"Where is the boy now?" Cologne growled her knuckles turning white as she clenched them into fists."

"You could try the nearest hospital. I broke a couple of his bones yesterday when we had a mach of our own." Akane answered as she looked to the old woman.

"Very well I..."

"No wait Cologne, don't do anything to Ranma. That is Shampoo's right not yours."

"Kenchi, Shampoo is in no condition to fight Ranma, not in her condition."

"She will be after I get through training her. As well with your help elder we can make her strong enough to battle someone as dishonorable as that bastard Ranma and his father. She deserves the right to at least try to get her honor back for what he did to her."

"Very well Kenchi, but know that Shampoo and I are not the only ones looking for him from the tribe. Mouse is also on the rampage even though Shampoo wants nothing to do with him."

"He is still giving Shampoo problems?"

"Unfortunately, yes he is, and he is also out for your blood as well sonny boy."

"He has always been a thorn in my side granny. I can handle him. I am more worried about Shampoo right now. I just hope I can hold back against Ranma the next time I see him for her."

"You and I both, sonny boy, well then I will be in town then so you will know how to find me. If you see Shampoo before I do let me know please."

"I will granny, you can bet on it."

"With a bow to both Akane and Nabiki, Cologne hopped up on her stick and proceeded to hop over the school wall and out of sight."

"So that was the old ghoul you've been telling me about Kenchi?"

"Yeah, she is a bit eccentric but I love her anyway."

"Come on Akane we had better get back to class lunch is almost over."

"Yeah, to bad we didn't get to eat much of it."

"I know what you mean Nabiki."

With that said that three proceeded back into the school and separated for their classes.

After school we find the Tendo sisters as well as their father and Kenchi at the train station. Soun of course was wailing like a baby holding on to Kasumi with all his might.

"I forbid for you to leave me Kasumi. I forbid it! You can't leave, you just can't! I am your father and I forbid..."

He was unable to say any more as a mallet came crashing down upon his head sending him into unconsciousness.

"Don't mind daddy big sister. I will miss you though." Akane said making her mallet disappear and wrapping her arms around her eldest sister in a big hug.

"I will miss you as well little sister." Kasumi answered releasing her younger sister.

"Don't forget about us out there Kasumi. Write to us often if you can."

"I will Nabiki don't worry about that. I will write once I get settled in ok?"

"We will be expecting the letter."

Kasumi pulled the middle Tendou sister into a hug of her own. "You take care of things for me Nabiki ok. Don't let things get too out of control while I am gone."

"I won't sis you know that."

"I know, I know."

Kasumi then turned towards Kenchi a smile on her face.

"Look after my sisters for me. I will be counting on you."

He smiled at the elder sister saying, "I will, I will make sure that they are well taken care of don't worry."

"Good, because if I find out anything has happened to them I will make you pay somehow."

"I am sure you would not be the only one."

He laughed at all the people that would be on his case if he let anything happen to Nabiki and Akane especially. Not to mention his own torment at letting something happen to his new family.

"Well sis it is time for you to go." Nabiki said handing over Kasumi's carryon pack.

Kasumi took the pack from her sister and then stepped over her father and through the doors of the train. With one last look back at her family she boarded the train and prepared for her new life. A life that was now as uncertain as her feelings for a certain doctor. She had a new life now, one she would take full advantage of. The housewife was gone. When she returned she would be Kasumi that doctor.

On the steps of a clinic in Nerima a young doctor with glasses felt a chill go up his spine as though he was losing something important in his life that he may never get back He walked out onto the sidewalk looking out over the horizon thinking about the love of his live. He also thought of why he couldn't control himself around her. With a sigh he turned to go back into the clinic when someone bumped into him."

"Oh excuse me." He said grabbing onto the person before they fell.

"Excuse Shampoo, is Shampoo fault not feel there in front of."

The young doctor looked down and saw a young girl with long purplish, blue hair done up in Odangos. She wore an outfit that did not match though the blouse and pantsuit did complement her figure well. He also saw that she wore extremely dark glasses over her eyes.

"It might help you to see well if you took those dark glasses off."

The girl frowned at the doctor's comment replying, "Shampoo no can see. Shampoo eyes no work. Shampoo must wear dark glasses to protect damaged eyes."

"Oh I am so sorry. How thoughtless of me. Here come in to my clinic and let me have a look. I am a doctor. Let me see what I can do."

The girl turned her head in an inquiring way facing the doctor yet not looking towards him just facing him with her head cocked.

"Aiya, why not, Shampoo has nothing better to do at moment."

"Good, I also have two other patients at the moment so let me just check on them while you sit down and I will be right back."

"Aiya, Shampoo wait, doctor go check on patient then."

"Good then I will be right back."

The doctor then walked back into his clinic to check on the two martial artists he had in his recovery room. Never knowing the danger his simple clinic was in. The poor, poor fool.

Author's Notes...

Wow two chapters in one year who would have thought. Ok to answer some of your questions out there. Yes the fake Ranma is a cannon character. He doesn't act like he usually would because of Genma's influence. As far as people asking me when I will bring Nodoka in to this and when the real Ranma will learn of who he really is and get his memories back. That will not happen for some time. My own brother asked about that I and I will tell you what I told him. In the case with Akane losing her memories of Ranma in the anime she had only lost them for a short time when she got them back because Ranma was there to bring them back. Kenchi (The Real Ranma) has been without the memories of his father and mother for years. All he will get back is a vague recollection of what he lost. There are only a few memories I plan on him remembering but that will happen sometime down the line. Nodoka will be a part of this story. After all Misaki needs someone to go off on after all. However she will not just come out and say that Kenchi is Ranma like some people think she will. After all she thought Ryu was Ranma for a time. She will be faced with the shock of Kenchi saying she is his mother though. He is searching for her after all. Will Genma's deception be unraveled? Hell yes! Well as for next chapter (When I actually get it done) Shampoo finds out whom Dr. Tofu's patients are (Cry havoc the dogs of war). Kenchi find's Shampoo. Also Kenchi gets kissed by a guy? (Dead man walking.) Be here next time for Conflicts.


	7. Chapter 07

﻿

**What's In A Name**

**Chapter 7**

**Challenges**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters. They are owned by the geniuses that created them not me. If I had half the talent that put the Ranma characters out I wouldn't be writing on . I would be a whole lot better off as well. Not a poor slob.

Sometimes life can take a turn that can make the most jaded person break out crying like a baby. There have been times that life has thrown such curve balls that the people involved have shut themselves away for years at a time. There are a lot of people that have made attempts to correct the lifestyle they were living at the time to correct the tragedy that they have inflicted to receive such harsh treatment in there life.

Others when they look at people like this have said it has been karma that has given these people the harshness that has ruled their lives. Karma can be a tricky thing though. It would seem that there are enough good people that get bit in the butt by karma enough times. There are people that try to live their lives as best they can, but then have something happen that will ruin dreams with just a word.

Let's take in the life of one Dr. Ono Tofu. He is a man that has lived most of his life in the pursuit of helping others. He is a gentile man who generally cares for the people he treats. He has treated many a man or woman from older to younger. He did not discriminate towards the people he helped. Weather it was simple back pain to a broken arm he was always there to help.

When Tofu started his practice he got all sorts of recognition with in the prefecture of Nerima. He was wise beyond his years. So people would always come to him. Mothers would constantly try to set up their young daughters with him. To everyone he was the perfect man. There was just nothing wrong with him that anyone could see.

Then it happened, he met a young woman who was just beginning her first year of high school. The young woman of about 15 was leading her younger sister into the clinic in which he worked. Upon seeing the young women the doctor had instantly fallen in love. The only problem with this is that for the men in his family, at least from his fathers line, were somewhat cursed. When faced with love they tend to go somewhat nuts. It is not the kind of love that people tend to grow into and mature with that can cause this reaction, but the kind of love at first sight. The instant attraction that is felt from the first meeting with a woman whom he would like to be with will make a man of his stature into a jabbering idiot.

The reason for this curse has been long debated by the women who have married these fools of love. Some have said it is just that they suffer from a acute form of shyness. This is accompanied by a physiological need to not be hurt by the woman they are attracted to causes the male to act erratic. All the others just think that the men are just idiots, but they love them anyway.

Dr. Tofu being like the other men in his line acted just as his father before him. Whenever the young woman came around he would act like a clown and unknown to him would lose himself to the love of his life.

Dr. Tofu being the kind man he was also should not have let two enemies within two feet of his clinic. In fact he was berating himself for not being so cautious to begin with when he invited the lovely young blind girl into the clinic. It was sad in a way that in his cause to help the young girl his whole clinic was now being torn apart.

It of coarse had started when the young girl stepped through the door and then heard the other two patients he was treating. The two had staggered in after being beaten within an inch of their life. They had stated that they had been roughed up by a gang of 40 burly guys. By the look of the two the Doctor believed the story. The older of the two had broken ribs, broken arm, broken leg, and a concussion. The young man also suffered from a concussion as well as broken bones. The both of them had bruises and cuts over the majority of their bodies. The doctor quickly treated the both of them then let them rest in one of his recovery rooms. He did not have much space so he had brought in a cot so the both of them could share a room. The complaining of the older man had gotten on his nerves quickly and he had quickly left and stepped outside to relieve the headache he was getting.

Then seeing the purple headed blind girl navigating her way down the street had touched something within him. She looked so helpless that his heart had gone out to her. How was he to know that the girl of no more than 16 years would wreak so much havoc on his poor little clinic?

It had started out fine until the girl had heard the older man in the next room start to wine again to his son. The girl had then asked the doctor if she could be lead to the man as he was someone she knew. He had gladly led her to the room the two patients were recovering in. He opened the door to the room just as the older man had let out another piteous moan.

The girl had then jumped past him Saying, "Aiya, Shampoo finally catch panda man and stupid girl boy. Shampoo Kill!" The girl had then pulled a sword from somewhere, (the doctor couldn't even tell how she had hidden the thing,) and proceeded to swing wildly at the two injured men. It was lucky for the two men that the girl was blind, as they were able to dodge even in their sorry states.

"Please, calm down!" The doctor called out trying to catch the girl as she leapt around the room her swings destroying furniture and tearing deep holes in the walls. It was to the doctors great regret that the skirmish left the room and ran all through his quant little clinic.

"Ahhhhh, get this crazy chick away from me!" The young man yelled out drawing the attention of the purple haired girl to him.

"Ranma no escape Shampoo now! Ranma die for what he do to Shampoo!" The girl lunged while in mid speech barely missing the young man.

"Leave me alone slut, you deserved what you got. A warrior is prepared for the paroles of battle." The girl growled at him attacking more fiercely at the sound of his voice.

"Ranma is cheat, and raper. Shampoo end enemy of women's life so all women's live in piece."

The doctor knew he needed to stop this as quickly as he could. By the sound of it this Ranma was a vile boy yet the doctor had taken an oath. He could not let the girl kill the boy in his presence. Let alone let her continue to tear up his clinic.

"All of you need to settle down. You are tearing up my clinic." Dr. Tofu made a lunge towards the purple haired girl trying to hit her sleep spot.

At that moment a few things happened. Drawn by the ruckus coming from the clinic Kenchi and Akane both entered to see what was going on. The both of them upon recognizing Genma and Ranma leaped into action. Kenchi took on Genma quickly rendering him unconscious. Akane, while not as quick as Kenchi still got the drop on Ranma and sent him into dreamland via one of her pile drivers of a punch. Tofu having reached the purple haired girl managed to hit her sleep spot yet he over balanced and wound up falling upon the now unconscious girl.

"Dr. Tofu how could you! What do you think you are doing to that poor girl?" Akane was so shocked she could not decide if she should run out of the clinic and forget the whole scene, or pound the doctor who she had had a secret crush on. It was true that she had gotten over the good doctor yet she also knew that her older sister also sported feelings for the man. Now that her sister was gone she had wondered if the two would still have a chance to get together. It seemed that Kasumi had left at just the right time. It would have broken her heart to see the doctor acting like a pervert.

Tofu recovered himself and looked around at the shocked faces of both Akane and her boyfriend Kenchi if he remembered right. The two were looking at him as if he had done something wrong. He looked down and saw that when he had fallen, one of his hands had fallen upon the young girls' chest. He squeezed the breasts just to make sure that is what he was feeling earning a shriek from Akane and a mallet over his head. It was by shear will that he did not end up unconscious by the hit. Someone would have to teach that girl that hitting people with that mallet could be quite dangerous. Not only for him but the others around him as well could be hurt. It was bad enough that his face was planted within the young purple haired girls' chest now.

Tofu could also sense that the young woman was waking up as well. He heard someone being dragged back and the grunt of flesh hitting flesh. With blurry eyes he looked up to see the outline of what he assumed was Akane being held by her boyfriend. She was very upset it seemed. He looked down at the young woman under him again and saw that she was reaching up to him. She touched his face feeling with her fingers the outline of who was over her.

In a weak unsure voice the girl asked. "Is man?"

Tofu answered the young girl as well as helping her to her feet. "I am sorry about knocking you unconscious like that, but you were getting a bit hysterical there. I realize that you have strong feelings towards my patients, however that does not mean you can go around tearing apart my clinic."

What happened next could have been one of the most shocking ordeals of the young doctor's life. The girl suddenly through her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips. There was a shocked gasp from behind him as well as a flare up of extreme heat. When the girl finally broke the lip lock she looked sweetly within his direction saying.

"Wo Ai Ne Arien!"

"What?" The doctor asked turning to the other two conscious people within the room.

Kenchi sighed while holding Akane back from tearing into the young doctor. He could understand her anger in a way. She had been hounded by the biggest pervert at school for months now. Add to that the trouble with the Saotomes, and you have the recipe for a disaster waiting to happen. Akane had adapted a zero tolerance policy for all things she labeled perverted. No matter how circumstantial the situation may be. Despite the fact that he had told her about the policies of the tribe of Chinese Amazons she still saw the doctor as being perverted to the young girl under him. Though it was true the doctor was taking his time removing himself from the young woman.

"Doctor I do not wish to presume anything but would you mind removing yourself from your new wife long enough so we can get this all sorted out?" Kenchi sighed when he saw that the doctor was still looking at him blankly.

"Doctor Tofu! GET OFF OF HER!" Akane shouted still trying to get out of her fiancés grip to forcibly remove the young doctor from the young girl.

The Doctor's mental faculties finally kicked in, and realizing what he was doing he leapt from the girl backing against the far wall of the examination room. He looked around and saw the prone bodies of the two Saotome men lying in heaps on the floor. He also saw the fierce look within Akane's eyes, and the slightly amused eyes of her boyfriend. He then looked back over to the girl whom was getting up from her prone position on the floor.

"W…wh…wh…what is going on here."

"You were being a pervert doctor. I can't believe this. What would Kasume say if she saw you like this? I am so glad she left for collage to get away from everything. If she saw this it would have broken her heart."

The Doctor face suddenly shot to Akane at her words. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Did she really just say that Kasumi was gone?

"What do you mean Kasumi left?" Tofu asked not believing her words. It was impossible for something like that to happen. He had not even had the chance to ask the young woman out.

"She left for school thank goodness. It would be disgusting for her to see you like this. Flaunting around with young girls and taking advantage of them. Just look at you letting her hang off of you like that."

It was true, while the young doctor had been in shock at the news that the love of his life had left without him the young Amazon had made her way to him and latched on to him with all her might. The Amazonian girl latched on to him had a big smile on her face happy at the thought that she would be able to get a doctor as a husband.

"Arien no worry bought other womans. Come and Shampoo make Arien to to happy."

"Shampoo I think this is not a good time for this. We have a bit to discuss with the doctor before you try to cart him off to China." Kenchi smirked as he saw that his friend, whom he was very glad to see, was alright seemed to realize that he was in the room. He frowned at the look of her eyes seeing the damage that Cologne had warned him about. His gaze turned to where Ranma was laying on the floor a fierce look appearing on his face as he thought of the things he wanted to do to the bastard for what he had done to his friend.

The low growl from his throat finally got through Akane's anger. She looked back at her fiancé noticing him looking at the boy on the floor. She had never really seen him look at someone with such anger before. It was somewhat frightening. She reached around enveloping him in her arms and spoke in a whisper.

"Calm down Kenchi, I'm the one that is supposed to have a problem with my anger not you."

Kenchi looked down at his fiancée and seeing the cute smile on her face that always seemed to make his heart flutter with excitement, that smile made him forget the bastard on the floor for the moment. After all there was a much more satisfying figure to look at in his arms as it was.

"What is going on here?"

The question brought the attention of the young couple back to the confused doctor.

"Well it looks to me that you are enjoying the pleasure of your new wife to me doctor."

"What do you mean new wife! I have never been married."

With a sigh Kenchi started to explain, also noticing the smile appearing on Shampoo's face as she realized who was speaking.

"Doctor Tofu, and Akane I would like you to meet Shampoo. She is from a small village in China full of Amazons. They have certain laws that pertain to outsiders. One such law pertaining to outsider women states, that if an Amazon is defeated by an outsider woman she must give that woman the kiss of death. The Amazon must then hunt that woman to the ends of the earth to kill her to regain her honor. The other law pertaining to outsider men states, that if an Amazon is defeated by an outsider man she must give him the kiss of marriage. The Amazon will then be required to live as man and wife with the man that defeated her. You my good doctor in knocking out Shampoo defeated her, so she has given you the kiss of marriage. You are now considered husband and wife according to Amazonian law."

"Well that is all fine and good except we are in Japan and not in her village much less in China so there is no way I will be marring a young girl I do not even know much less is only about sixteen to seventeen years of age."

"Sorry to say this doctor, but to her it doesn't make a difference. As stated in Amazon law you are to marry her, and where ever an Amazon goes she takes her laws with her."

"It doesn't matter that she takes her laws with her. I am protected by Japanese law, so that means I do not have to marry her. Besides there is someone else that I am interested in so I have no time for an Amazon bride."

"You really should not have said that doctor."

The young doctor gave the young man confused look, then looked down to the young woman holding on to him and was startled to see the fierce scowl there.

"Who is womans that arien is wanting over Shampoo. Shampoo take care of all womans who want husband. Other womans is obsticals. Obsticals are for killing."

"You will not lay a hand on Kasumi! Do you understand that girl? I will not have anyone lay a hand on her."

"Too bad for you doctor Tofu, after all since Kasumi is gone there is no real obstacle for you to marry this girl. After all it seems that you were being very affectionate to her earlier. Hmph, I don't see the problem as it seems you are more than affectionate right now."

"Akane, she is hugging me, I am not hugging her. So please stop with the accusations. I am not marrying this girl, nor am I married to her. Now, I must be off to stop this travesty of Kasumi leaving. I will go and ask her to stay. She can still borrow my books as I have a lot of books that she likes to borrow. Then I will ask her out, and everything will be perfect again."

"Well, that will be kind of hard since she already left doctor. Besides you seem to be doing just fine with this new girl right here. I will not have you two timing my sister."

"Calm down Akane, I am sure that the doctor was not really planning on two timing Kasumi. I also know that Kasumi will not be coming back at least until break. She was set on getting a degree and furthering her education. I am sorry doctor, but I think that if you had wanted to ask Kasumi out you should have done it a long time ago."

"Hmph, like the letch could even get the gumption to even ask my sister out to begin with. It was your loss Doctor Tofu. You are the one that messed up. My sister waited forever for you to ask her out as you say. However, you were the one that always acted so goofy around her. If you would have just grown a pair you would have had an opportunity to be with her."

He could not believe it. He could not believe her words that his precious Kasumi had left him. There was no way that she could have left the Tendo household to go to some collage. What did she know about being out in the world? His Kasumi was to sweet and kind to handle the riggers of collage life. The people there could be quit cruel to someone like her. There were men there that would take advantage of her in a heartbeat. He had heard of many sweet girls going to collage then coming back dishonored and pregnant. He would not be there to protect her from the wolves that would descend upon her. That must not be. He would have to go to her. He would have to be there for her.

"I must ask for all of you to leave now. I have things I must prepare for."

"Like what doctor? You aren't thinking of following Kasumi are you? That would be a big mistake."

"What would you know boy? Do you know how dangerous it is for a young woman out there? She could be in serious danger from the perverse men that will try to harm her. She is just to delicate to be on her own."

Akane got even angrier just listening to the doctor's tirade.

"How could you? Kasumi thought that you were a true man. We both thought that you were a man to be admitted. How could you say that about her? Kasumi needed this more than anything. She needed to get away from the pigs like you that were holding her back! You don't deserve her! I hope she goes to collage and finds a true man to be with. One that will not only take care of her but also let her fly like she deserves. A man that will let her pursue her dream of become a doctor. I see you would just have kept her in a gilded cage just like our father. You…"

"SHUT UP! Do you know what I go through every time I see your sister Akane? DO YOU?! How I go insane because I know she could do better than me? I know I could be a better man to her! Do you know how much I wanted to ask her out? I have always loved Kasumi."

"Then why did you never say anything to her?"

Kenchi stared straight into the doctor's eyes not backing down from the young doctor's stare. Stare the young doctor did. His expression turned to shock as he realized that the young man in front of him was rite. Why hadn't he told Kasumi that he had loved her? Was it truly something he could not do? Could he really not be able to tell her?

"I'm scared! OK, I admit it! I'm scared that Kasumi will tell me that she does not love me. I'm scared that she will reject me and tell me that she is in love with someone else! Is that what you want to hear?! IS IT?!"

"That is not something I needed to hear. It is something that Kasumi had needed to hear. You however have lost your chance for that doctor. She is gone to live her life now. Since you were to afraid to tell Kasumi your true feelings you ended up waiting to long. Kasumi is off to live her own life now. For good or ill she has a chance to make her own decisions. She has the chance to make her own mistakes and learn from them. She does not need to be coddled and treated as a put in your view of a woman that will just stay at home at be your perfect little housewife. She was never perfect you know. I could see that with her acting she may have seemed to be the perfect woman to any Japanese man. However, she was very unhappy on the inside. It was just a matter of time before she would have lost herself completely. She would have resented any marriage she would have been in even if the person she had married had been the love of her life. She would have become bitter because she would have never been able to live the dreams she has always wanted. She would have always wondered if there was anything more to the life she had lived. Doctor I suggest you take your new fiancé and learn to enjoy your new life as well."

"I can't give up on Kasume!"

"Shampoo think new arien need to learn that Shampoo is only for him, yes?"

"Listen girl, I told you I am not going to marry you."

"I would think you do not have a choice son in law."

Every one turned to see a wrinkled old woman standing on her staff in the doorway. Her face was set in a frown as her bulbous eyes rested upon the young doctor. She turned her gaze to Shampoo her frown turning into a scowl.

"I see you have been out making trouble great granddaughter. I would have hoped that you would have stayed where you belonged and not gone and done something foolish as try a hunt by yourself in your condition. I am sorry for the inconvenience son in law, but my great granddaughter can be quite impulsive."

"Why are you calling me your son in law? I told you I am not marrying this girl." Tofu said his face set in a fierce scowl.

"We shall see about that son in law. We shall see. I believe my great nephew has already explained our laws to you?"

"He did, and as I have stated to him I am Japanese, not Chinese, so your laws have no bearing on me."

"Oh but they do son in law. You have defeated an Amazon and will now pay the price for that defeat."

"I would listen to the old ghoul she can be quite persuasive. Ouch!"

The old woman smirked as she took her staff from Kenchi's head. "As usual Kenchi you use 10 percent of your brain and 90 percent of your mouth. How do you deal with him my dear Akane?"

"Love and patients honored elder. As well as a good right hook." She replied with a smirk.

"Aiya, Kenchi has girlfriend?"

"She is a fiancée actually, one that I love with all my heart."

"How you defeat Kenchi? No one back in village ever defeat great Kenchi for marriage before."

"I hit him from behind while he was distracted of course."

"Aiya, why shampoo never think of that?'

"Sigh, can we drop this and get back to more important matters? First of all there is no way you can force me to marry this young girl elder. I have practice here that I enjoy and will not leave for China abandoning my home. As I already stated there is already someone I care for, and I intend to go after her."

"Ah, but son in law you have already stated that you would not be able to court this other woman. It was also stated that she is no longer in the running for you to court. I then believe that my Shampoo has the most valid claim here. However I will give you a bit of time to come to your senses. Come Shampoo let us leave from this place and let the young doctor clean." She said bouncing over and grabbing Shampoo's arm.

"But great grandmother? What about shampoo revenge on cheating pervert boy?"

"You can have your revenge later"

"But great grandmother!"

"I said…"

"What is going on here?"

At the interruption everyone turned to see a young woman with long hair and a baker's peal on her back standing in the doorway with a young man in a yellow shirt and leopard print bandana. The young man seemed to have a nasty bump on his head.

"We came over to this clinic to have this dufuses booboo looked at. Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

"This is a private matter young one. There is no need for you to step in to this."

"That's fine, but will someone look at this jerk's little bump so he will quit bellyaching to me?"

"Sigh, let me just put the Saotomes back into bed, then I will be with you."

"Did you say Saotomes?" The girl said, her expression souring instantly.

"Uh, doc I really think you should have not said that?" The boy in the yellow shirt said instantly noticing the tightening of the young woman's muscles.

The young doctor turned to see the situation and reacted quickly. "NO FIGHTING IN THE CLINIC! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! EVERYONE OUT! AS SOON AS I GET THESE TWO IDIOTS UP THEY ARE OUT OF HERE TOO! NO MORE I AM TIRED OF IT!" With that the young doctor shoved everyone out the door then proceeded to forcibly wake his two unconscious guests. The doctor then threw the two out on their keasters. "And stay OUT!" He said slamming the door turning the open sign to close.

"My, the son in law is excitable isn't he?"

"You sure can say that again. He didn't even take care of my bump that this obsessed Okenomiaki freak gave me." Earning the young man another bump on the head to mach the one he already had.

"You really didn't have to hit him like that you know." Akane said looking from the prone boy to the spatula wielding girl.

"He deserved it sister."

"Man what hit me? I feel worse now than I did when that bitch hit me." Ranma stated from the ground looking at the closed doorway.

"Boy Ranma, you sure are a glutton for punishments aren't you?" Kenchi said smirking down at him.

Ranma turned his head around and looked into the eyes of two angry women, one angry elder Amazon, the sightless scowl of a younger Amazon, the angry look of a bandana wearing boy, and the smirk of Kenchi Morisoto.

"Um would it help if I said I was sorry?"

"NO!" They shouted kicking the boy into the stratosphere, sending his father after him a few seconds after.

With that the group broke up heading for their own homes.

The next day found Kenchi waiting by the entrance to the public ice skating rink. He was supposed to meet his fiancé here for a date. He would have liked to have picked her up at her house, yet she had said that her father was still in a sour mood. It was ok though. He knew that the man had dreams that could no longer be honored. Yet the man should realize what an honor less bastard that the boy Ranma could be. Kenchi had visited with Shampoo and Cologne for a bit discussing the problems with Ranma and his father. They had also discussed Kenchi's intended marriage. That was embarrassing enough. Cologne had wanted him to get married right away. When he told her about his plans to wait due to age and the chance to finish school the woman had gotten a bit temperamental. The fight was refreshing to both of them and they and both laughed afterward for a time about it. When the old crown and suggested he bring the girl to China and get married their under proper Amazonian law, well he had to get out of there at that point. He may love the old bat, but she could be pushy at times.

He noticed Akane walking up and was about to go great her until he noticed that she was not alone. She had her two friends with her. The two girls were Yuka and Sayuri if he remembered their names right. They were flanking Akane to either side talking adamantly to their long time friend. Akane had her face bowed and looked extremely embarrassed. He could see that the two didn't pay attention to his fiancée's state of mind and saw that she was becoming more agitated as they got closer. He quickly went over some ways to get her out of her mood as he had wanted to really enjoy his time with her. He knew that his fiancé had a bit of a temper, and when she got embarrassed she would usually get angry to cover her embarrassment. It had been something that they had worked on for some time now, but his Akane had a ways to go yet before she got over her temper.

Upon noticing him Akane shouted "Kenchi!" and rushed into his arms. Kenchi took her into his arms smiling down at her lovingly. He would never get over his temperamental tomboy. Her spirit attracted him like no other. It was scary how quick he had fallen for this angle. Yet, he would not give it up for the world. He loved her, that was all there was to it. He had tried to take it slow. That was the one thing that he had wanted in his life. He wanted a nice relationship with a nice girl then eventual engagement and marriage. However, getting to know Akane he found he could not wait. He had his fears. Fears of her choosing someone else, fears of her being stolen from him, and even fears of her dieing on him because of the life they lived. Kenchi knew he had enemies out there that would be happy to strike at a loved one. A certain half dragon he had met some time ago came to mind and his views on women. The jerk was petty enough to take advantage of a situation like that. He would not kill her, but taking her and forcing her as a concubine would not be above him.

There was also the brat prince Toma. He and his art based on illusions would find Akane a fine catch indeed. There was also Kirin, yet he didn't pose too much of a threat as the man was still looking for the woman that had the other half of his scroll. Taro was another person he worried about at times though. The jerk lived to make his life miserable. Ever since he had found out his true name, (which was really silly) the jerk had been out to get him. Akane would do well to never have to meet any of those loons. However, with his life it was only a matter of time.

"So, Kenchi you are here to show Akane a good time?" Yuka asked a smirk donning her face as she looked him over.

"Don't say anything to them Kenchi, they will just turn it into something perverted."

Kenchi looked down into Akane's eyes seeing the love there and the blush on her beautiful face.

"Don't you worry Akane let them think whatever they want. You and I know how our relationship is and nothing is going to change that."

"Oh and what if she wants it to change into something more?"

"Shut up Sayuri!"

"Ahhh come on Akane you know we are just teasing you." Yuka said grabbing Sayuri's arm and dragging her into the building. "Meet you two love birds inside, don't get to distracted with each other and forget about us now."

"What was that about?" Kenchi asked looking after the two as they entered the building.

"Oh they were just teasing me about getting engaged so young."

"Is it a bad thing?" Kenchi asked as he looked down at the girl in his arms.

"It was just embarrassing. They were just goofing with me I know but they can get a bit annoying. Enough about that though let's go in and have some fun."

"I guess, though just to warn you Akane I have never been ice skating before."

"Really, well with your balance I am sure you will do fine."

"I am sure you are right Akane. After all how hard can it be right?"

"Right, so let's go!"

As the pair entered the lobby of the building they saw something that made their hearts sink.

"Well if it isn't the bitch and the bastard. What a pair made in heaven."

"Sigh, Ranma don't you ever get tired of this?" Kenchi asked eying the boy turned girl in front of him. "I see you are going for your more feminine look today."

"Shut up you bastard! Thanks to you I have lost everything!"

"More like thanks to your actions you have lost everything." Akane said smirking and stepping closer to Kenchi's side.

"I will have my revenge on you both mark my words."

"Whatever you say Saotome, I personally think you are wasting your time though. I see your bruises have not healed up yet from the last battle we fought." Akane's smirk got even bigger as she said this. "Come on Kenchi let's go I want to have fun not stick around and listen to this loser."

"I am here to serve, my lady."

The two made their way past the fuming Ranma, and up to the counter to rent their skates. After putting on their skates, the two stepped onto the ice where it was found that not knowing how to skate was more of a problem than it seemed as Kenchi fell right upon his bottom, pulling Akane along with him. The both of them started to laugh at the incident until Akane's friends Yuka and Sayuri skated up to them to help the two up.

"Wow I guess you aren't good at everything Morisoto." Yuka said a smirk on her face.

"Like I told Akane, I have never been ice skating before."

"Don't worry Kenchi we will teach you." Akane said hugging him from behind.

"You betcha stud muffin." This earned a scowl from Akane making Sayuri blush at her slip of the tong.

"As the time passed the three spent their time teaching Kenchi how to skate. He did bear a bit of teasing from the kids around and would have gone to change into his sister if not for the pleading eyes of his fiancé. She had just wanted to be with him and only him. After the last few days he could understand why, what with her father acting the way he was. So he just grinned and resumed trying to skate as best he could with his fiancé. After about an hour the four found themselves at a table in the food court resting and drinking sodas bought by Kenchi. Akane also held a stuffed puppy to her chest that Kenchi had won for her out of a crane machine.

"So, Akane, why didn't you ask Linchi along to this little get together? I know Nabiki said we should come along to make sure nothing improper happens with you two." Yuka stated smirking at the engaged couple.

"My sister is at home helping aunty right now. She said she would try and make it if she could, but she had a lot to do. What do you mean keep an eye on us anyway?" Kenchi asked arching his eyebrow.

"Oh you know, Nabiki was just worried that Akane would try and drag you off to a love motel or something."

"SAYURI!"

"What, it's true." Yuka said, her smirk growing more intense as the two blushed crimson.

"We plan to wait until we are married for that." Kenchi said his face so hot you could fry an egg off of it.

"Well you know how those plans tend to go awry. Next thing you know the passions just hit you and bam you are in the sack going at it like rabbits." Sayuri said her smile turning evil as she glanced at her friend. "Besides you may want to wait until you are married, but that doesn't mean that Akane wants to wait that long."

"SAYURI! That is enough!" Akane cried out her face crimson as a cherry.

Thankfully for the engaged pair, they were interrupted by the shouts of "Marline! Marline! Come to mommy my little Marline!"

The next thing Akane knew someone was grabbing at the stuffed puppy in her arms. She held on tightly to the gift not wishing to relinquish the item given to her by her fiancée.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Give Azusa her Marline! Azusa wants her little Marline!"

"This is not yours it is mine given to me by my fiancée. So let go of it you brat!"

"No, Azusa wants her little Marline. Marline belongs to Azusa."

At that moment the argument was interrupted by a handsome man with blue eyes and light brown hair dressed in a skater's uniform. Plucking the annoying girl away from Akane the man turned to her and in a suave and confident tone of voice replied. "Forgive my partner, she sometimes takes things, giving them a new name, and claming them as her own."

There were whispers in the background at this saying things, like "Isn't that illegal?", or "Does she really get away with that?"

Akane turned to the man after scowling at the obnoxious girl to thank him for stopping her from taking her gift when she noticed the man bending down as if to kiss her. "As a thank you I will give you a gift of gratitude."

Before he could touch her lips he received a double punch to the face. One from Akane, who wouldn't let anyone kiss her except her Kenchi, and Kenchi himself who wouldn't let anyone touch his fiancée against her, will. The man went flying to the far side of the ice rink crashing into the far wall making a perfect impression of him in the wall.

"That is the type of creep that gives creeps a bad name."

"Yeah, Akane I am sorry for butting in like that. However, I really hate guys like him. I know that you could have taken him by yourself though. I just couldn't stand the thought of him getting close to you like that. Call me jealous or whatever, but just the thought of him kissing you makes my blood boil." Kenchi said looking off to where the pervert had flown.

"Don't worry about it love I feel the same way. After all these lips are reserved for one person only, and it defiantly was not that pervert."

"Oh and whom would that be?" He asked turning towards her as he noticed her eyes shining as she looked at him.

"Well if there were not so many people around I would show you."

"See what we mean Kenchi, Akane is ready and willing to hit the sack with you."

"SAYURI!" Akane yelled turning to her friend who had just destroyed the mood.

"Oh Akane don't deny that you were giving your fiancée bedroom eyes just now. This is just the kind of thing that Nabiki was worried about. You going off with your fiancée and getting yourself pregnant because of it."

"Well, I won't ever have the chance with you and my sisters around stopping me."

"Akane, you are not ready to become a mom. You have school and a carrier to think about." Yuka said while glancing at her friend.

"Oh come on Yuka. I know what I want to do with my life. I know that I want to go to collage and get a degree in something, maybe acting or physical education. I also know that I will probably end up running the dojo while Kenchi works. I look forward to doing that. I want to be a Martial Artist on the same caliber as him. I am also aware that sooner or later, most likely sooner I will be getting pregnant. I want it to be Kenchi that is the father of my children. However, thanks to my father and his views I would be pregnant already with Ranma's baby. I love Kenchi and will wait until he is ready for that, but I am also afraid that if I wait for to long one of our rivals will take advantage of one of us. I don't want to see that happen. I know it is not the best way to go about solidifying a relationship to just go out and do the deed. I also know that it would be hard on the both of us if I did get pregnant in high school. However, I wouldn't mind if it did happen. I know that I will be taken care of if it happened, and I am happy with the man I got. We will have the money to take care of a baby, if that happened. We also have the means for me to complete school."

"So you would throw your life away, Akane?"

"No, Sayuri I would not be throwing my life away and I did not say that I was going to just go out to the nearest love motel and get knocked up. Both Kenchi and I have agreed to wait until we are married before we start a family. I wouldn't mind starting one early, yet my man is sensible and good hearted. He has a good head on his shoulders and keeps me in line." Akane glanced up into the face of her fiancée knowing he was the one that kept her in check. Smiling adoringly at him, she reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Akane, you know that I love you, but I don't think we are really ready to start a family yet."

"Oh, I know you don't think so yet Kenchi. As I said you are my sensible future husband."

"I see the slut is in heat there. You should be careful or you will end up trapped with her."

The Four turned to see Ranma still in female form smirking at them with his arms crossed across her chest.

"Of coarse if you were a real man you would just use her then dump her like the slut she is."

"Ranma, if we wanted advice from a perverted bastard we would go look up the ancient enemy of the Amazons, Happosie. We don't need comments from you so why don't you just go away."

"Kenchi's right we don't want you here so why don't you just leave us alone. You have no claim on my sisters or I so just go."

"Ohhhhh, Caroline. Azusa wants her Caroline."

The four watched as the annoying ditz latched onto Ranma's shirt and tried to remove it from her forcibly. Ranma was about to slap the annoying girl away when the young man from before again interrupted the ditz from her prize.

"I am truly sorry about that. At times she just can't control herself." He said with his most suave smile on his face. "Let me introduce myself. I am Mikado Sazanine (AN: Sorry about spelling of his name if it is not right.) I am again sorry for my partner. Here is a gift of for your troubles."

Unlike Akane, Ranma was not prepared enough to stop Mikado from laying a wet kiss to her lips. She stood there in shock for a minute then began to slowly step away from the pervert that had just kissed her. Then she broke out into a run fleeing the area screaming.

"Ahhh, such a shy little thing, to be intimidated so by my kiss."

"You would be crying to if you knew who you just kissed." Akane softly spoke while Sayuri, Yuka, and Kenchi nodded looking a bit green in the gills.

"Hmmm, what was that my dear? I am surprised you would refuse my greeting. I offer another chance. Just think you would be the one thousandth girl I have kissed. Isn't that a special privilege?"

"Not likely letch! I have already got a man I enjoy kissing and you are not him."

"My dear you wound me. I am after all the most sought after man in all of Nerima."

"Really, that is news to me. I have never even heard of you."

The young man looked affronted as those words came out of the girl's mouth. He had never had a girl be so obstinate to him before. In a way it was quite refreshing. The girl would make for an interesting challenge. After all no sensible girl could resist his charms for long. It was simply unheard of, he had even turned a few lesbian girls to the proper path with his charming ways. He had led the most devoted of girlfriends astray in his time. This girl would be no different. In time she would be like his other conquests. Her lips would be his as any other girl. How to go about it though? Ahh, yes a challenge to her current amore should do the trick. He had garnered many a precious lips in a challenge match in the past.

"How could you not have heard of me? I am well known in the Ice Skating Pairs circuit. I am one half of the illustrious Golden Pair. The rising stars of Martial Arts Figure Skating. You must have heard of me."

"Nope haven't heard a thing about you. Though I must admit I am not too fond of figure skating. Kenchi honey, have you heard of them."

"Can't say that I have dear, though you know I am not to into skating as well. You know how I am with ice though. It is kind of weird that I have not heard of them though. I usually hear about most of the prominent artists, are you sure you are really good?"

Mikado stood in shock at the brazen disregard for his skills. How could these two put him down so? He was the finest in the land, and these two come and say they have never heard of him. Well fine then if they wanted to be punished then it was up to them.

"Fine then, I challenge you both. You will face my partner and I in an Anything Goes martial arts ice..."

"Hold on there turkey. You have challenged us so by rights my fiancé and I get to name the type of challenge we should be facing in."

"Don't be so vulgar. This is not a martial arts challenge; this is a martial arts ice skating pair's challenge. You may of coarse choose…"

"Sorry turkey, but you should know it doesn't work that way. As a martial arts challenge myself and my fiancé both have the right to choose the type of challenge we are to have."

"Yes, yes I know and you have that option on the rules of the match, however I did challenge you to a Ice Skating match. If you wish to concede then I will not hold it against you. After all you would be facing the best of the sport."

"You know Kenchi, we might as well take him up on his challenge. After all it is obvious that he and his partner have never faced a true opponent before. It would be nice to wipe that smug look off his face. I would really love to grind his face in the ice, and if we take him up on his challenge I would get that chance."

"Alright Akane we will take him up on his challenge. I do hope you know what you are doing. I could never say no to you though."

"Yes you can Kenchi, after all I am not pregnant yet." Akane said smirking at her friends.

Before there could be more discussion on the matter there was a crash near the group. All of them turned to see Ranma in his male form barring down on them with murder in his eyes. Kenchi grabbed Akane and leaped away from the oncoming artist. It turned out he needn't have bothered. Ranma's fist connected with Sazanine's cheek with a resounding "CRACK". He flew back again into the far wall. Sazanine got up and worked his jaw determining the damage caused by the unexpected punch.

"You! I am going to kill you for what you have done you ass. I am going to tear you limb from limb. I will make you pay!"

"My, what a crude person you are. What, pray tell have I done to you, hmmm?

"It doesn't matter; all you need to know is that you have made me really mad. SO DIE!"

"Tut, tut, you obviously do not understand what you are getting into."

"I don't care what you have to say. Just DIE!"

"You might not care at the moment, but after the gentleman next to you has a few words with you I am sure you will care."

They all turned to see a security guard scowling harshly at Ranma. He walked over to the boy and took him by the arm taking him away.

"That was kind of low sex neurotic nympho, don't you think?" Kenchi asked turning to the young man.

"Why whatever do you mean my good sir? He clearly attacked me with out provocation. Oh, and it is Sanzanine."

"Sure whatever you say Makado the Molester."

"I told you its Sanzanine!"

"Huh, hu sure thing. Let's go Akane I really don't feel like skating anymore right now. The company has kind of soured my mood."

"I know what you mean Kenchi. I think we can find some other fun things to do today other than listen to this molester."

The two left leaving a fuming Sazanine behind. Akane's friends soon followed them out of the place giggling all the way. The two soon caught up with the pair, all four of them making their way out of the building.

"Oh man Akane you sure know how to keep things interesting."

"Yeah, Yuka's right. You really know how to show a date a good time."

"I would be showing my date a better time if you both weren't here."

"Akane we have been over this before. We are here to make sure you don't get into any trouble. We have to make sure you keep your virtue intact."

"Yeah what Yuka said."

"Besides Akane you and I both know that if we really wanted to lose them we could. It is not like we have to worry about them finding us if we really wanted to disappear from them."

"I really do want to be alone with you though Kenchi. Those two won't even let me kiss you properly without getting on my case."

"Depends on the type of kissing Akane, the type you seem to like to get into tends to lead to a point that spells a baby in the near future." Yuka stated shaking her head at her friend. "Besides you could ditch us like he said, but then again your sister would have someone find you. You would also cause trouble for us with your sister by doing that. You don't want to get us in trouble with your sister do you?"

"What I want Yuka, is to spend some quality time with my fiancé. So we can talk, snuggle, and kiss if we want to. Even if we did go that far it would be our decision to do that. I don't need to be chaperoned everywhere just because my sister is worried I will be pregnant by the end of the day."

"Well if you weren't so hot to trot then we might be able to trust you a bit more. I know if I had a hunk like Kenchi here I would not be able to be trusted as well." Sayuri sighed out gazing dreamily at Akane's fiancé.

"If you want to make babies Sayuri then go find your own. This one is taken." Akane said grabbing onto Kenchi's arm, and snuggling up against him.

"You both know I am right here right? Anyway Yuka, Sayuri, both Akane and I have things to discuss so we are going to head into the park up ahead and sit for a while. The both of you could at least give us a little space to ourselves. You don't have to worry about anything happening in such a public place. You could keep us in sight. However, what we wish to discuss is private so if you would please leave us for a bit we would be most appreciative."

"I don't know Kenchi, Nabiki did say we needed to keep a good eye on you both. With the way Akane is going on it might not be a good idea to be more than five feet away from you both."

"There is a difference between running off to a love motel, and a bench in the park Yuka. We will behave ourselves. Now, if you will excuse us my fiancée and I have some things to discuss."

Kenchi pulled Akane over to the park bench leaving the other two girls behind them. With a sigh he sat his fiancée down. Sitting next to her he looked into her eyes his expression stern.

"Akane, I know you were supposed to be joking around back there, but I get the feeling that you were also being serious about getting pregnant. Why would you want that when we are still in our first year of high school? We have our whole life ahead of us to have children. We aren't even married yet and you seem to not even want to wait for that. I love you very much. I know you love me. Why do you feel we need to rush into having a family? I know I would really like to have children with you, but I don't want you to rush into something just because you feel it is the only thing that is going to keep me with you."

"Oh Kenchi, it's not that. I know you love me. I really love you too. I know you would wait forever for me if that is what it took. However, like I said before to Yuka and Sayuri, my family is a different story. My father in particular has been causing problems. Luckily my sisters and I have been safe enough, but he has been trying to get us alone with Ranma for some time now. In the last week he has tried to get me alone with Ranma almost twice a day. It is also the reason that my sisters and I are sticking to groups of people. I am sure I can handle Ranma in normal circumstances like you have taught me, but then there are the surprise attacks that he is known for. You saw today how he was at the ice rink. He has been doing that all the time. It is getting to me."

Akane leaned on Kenchi's shoulder drawing comfort from the feeling of safety he gave to her. She was always comfortable with him. He never pushed her to do anything she did not want to do. He was there with her not lording over her. He did not take what was not freely given. She loved him all the more for that.

"Besides, just because we have sex doesn't mean I will get pregnant right away. We could use protection."

"I have the feeling though that the protection could fail sooner that liked if we did start Akane. You have got it in that cute little head of yours that you need to get pregnant. A child would be very difficult to take care of Akane. Yes, you have help with your sisters, and I would never abandon you if you did end up pregnant. However, you don't have to face that responsibility yet. We are still young. We still need to get married and settle. Settling will be very hard with a baby. How about when I am in collage? Do you think you will really have time to go to school yourself with a baby to take care of? You even said you would like to go. You can't leave a baby in the care of others Akane. That would not be fair to the child."

"So I don't go then. Ether way I will be stuck at home. Kenchi, you need to understand that if it is not Ranma that takes me it will be someone else like Kuno. I will never be able to live the life I truly want to live. You have given me the closest thing I could ever even come close to that life. I don't want to lose that. My father is going ballistic since Kasumi left the house for collage. Now he wants to make sure Nabiki and I are under his thumb. Though he can't openly get me to marry Ranma anymore he has been putting pressure on both Nabiki and I to conform to his whims. I want to be married to you. I want to bare your children. I would like to finish school and go to collage. Of those I feel that marring you and baring your children are the only things I will really be able to have."

"That's not true Akane. You can have everything you want. I will marry you. We just have to be careful. Ranma will not lay a hand on you if I have anything to say about it."

"That's the point Kenchi. You can't be around all the time. My father will never allow me to get married to you unless I have a very good reason he can not dispute to marry you. Even eloping I would still have to wait until you are of age to marry. That is a few years away. In that time there are all sorts of things that could happen. I would love to have my father's permission to marry you. I would love to take the time to just be with you like this and enjoy being a teenage girl. I won't be able to though. My father wants me to grow up too fast. He did the same thing to Kasumi and Nabiki. They both had to grow up faster than they should have when mom died. All he thinks about is the school yet he doesn't care that his daughters have dreams of their own. I do want to take over the dojo. I would love to teach and take care of kids that come to me to learn the art. I would love to be able to teach our children someday."

"In a lot of ways I feel the same Akane. I also want to pass down my art to the next generation. I also want to have my children follow in my footsteps. It is kind of scary though how we have to grow up so fast. Do you understand what that means Akane? There will be no shopping with your friends. I know you do those things. Can you really be like that? Think of how your older sister Kasumi was. She is what you would have to face. Can you live your life like that. You know what it almost did to her."

"There is a difference to that Kenchi. My sister was made to be a mother to both Nabiki and I. She was made into a picture perfect wife to my father. Instead of finding her dreams of becoming a doctor she was forced to be a housemaid. She never had the chance to live at all. She never got the chance to even choose her path. She was forced in to it. I on the other hand have a choice in the matter. I can't run off like Kasumi because of my age. I can however, choose a path that will suit me the best. Nabiki even has a great plan for her life. What I have is an empty dojo. A building that has lost a lot of the life in it since mom died. No, that is not true. Some of the life has come back to the dojo, but it was you that brought it back. You helped wake us up again. I love you more than ever for that Kenchi, I would die for you. That is the kind of love my mother had for my father. I know it is. That is what I want. If I have to grow up a little faster to get that then I will. I love you Kenchi and I want to be with you. If that means I have to get pregnant to do that I will. My father will not let me have you any other way."

"Akane I am sure there is another way around this than getting pregnant at sixteen. He was forced to acknowledge our engagement when challenged. Maybe that is the way to go. I could challenge him for your hand in marriage. As part of the challenge we can make it so you can decide on the time of your marriage. So if you want to marry me sometime like next Sunday then we will get married then."

"So you can't wait to get into my panties either? Why don't we just skip everything and just do it Kenchi? It would be…"

"Akane, that is not what I meant and you know it. This way we can get married but not have to worry about having kids right away. We can take our time, finish school and live a little before settling down so fast. We can travel and see things. We can be kids for a bit still."

"Ok Kenchi, we can do it your way. However, if my father backs out of the agreement in some way then you have to promise me that you will get me pregnant so I will be with you. I do not want to be my father's puppet. So you need to make sure I have my own life or we live our life as a instant family. Do you agree to that? I will accept no other terms on the matter."

"Ok Akane I will consider it if all of our options are taken up. Do you at least agree with that? This is something you should never rush into. I love you Akane, but rushing into having children when we are still in school is hard enough as it is."

"I know Kenchi, and I am prepared for that. I told you I love you, and I want you to know that I will do anything for you. I would give myself to you anytime you want. I love you so much; I just want to be with you always. I am just so afraid that someone will try to take me away from you, or someone will take you from me. I never want that to face that kind of situation Kenchi. I never want to be in a situation where I would have to live without you. You can understand that right?"

"Akane, we are going to be together. We both can take care of ourselves, and I am sure that we can handle this situation that…"

"What is this that I see this day that greaves my heart so. My fierce tigress Akane Tendo in the arms of the foul sorcerer Morisoto I can not stand for this! I will smite thee, and take back my rightful place as the one true love of thy fair maiden. As said by thy maiden's father, I shall be the one that shares her love in the most holy of sacraments."

"Excuse me Kuno, but we were having a conversation here. I also thought I expressed that you were never to come near Akane with the intents you have so brazenly insinuated. Will I have to send you to the hospital again for bothering my fiancée?"

"Ah, but I have thy weakness you foul sorcerer. I have at last learned of your weakness to water that when ever you seem to be around it you seem to disappear. I will finally be rid of the likes of you and thy fierce tigress will finally be free to express her love for thyn self, for I have with me holy water what will finally banish thou to the depths of hell for which thou truly belong oh enemy of women."

"Kuno, I have said this before, and I will probably have to say this again, you need help. I am not an evil sorcerer. I am not a demon from the lowest pits of hell. I am a martial artist, and right now you are really pissing me off."

"He is not the only one that is getting pissed off here. Kuno, I have told you this before, I will never date you. I hate you almost as much as I hate Saotome Ranma. I will never want to be with you. What I would like to know though is how my father has anything to do with this? "

"That, my dear tigress is a promise between the both of us. For thy father hast said that if I were to defeat the braggart Morisoto then I wouldst be able to marry a Tendo daughter. In his wisdom he has given me the weapons and will of heavens decree that we shall be wed as soon as this braggart is out of our way."

"KUNO YOU IDIOT!!!" Akane screamed as she lunged from the bench and punched the delusional kendo artist into the stratosphere. "Kenchi, you sure you don't want to knock me up? There is a love hotel right down the street you know. I am sure I am in the most fertile time of the month right now. Then we can face my father, with having my virtue taken he will be compelled to have to let me marry you."

"Akane..." Kenchi said wrapping his arms around her.

"Don't try and talk me out of this Kenchi. You heard what Kuno said. My own father will be sending fighters after you to take me away. I know you are good Kenchi, but even the best can have bad days. I don't want to take that risk. I heard him Kenchi, they will not only come after you, and they will come after me too. I don't want this Kenchi. Why can't we just get it over with? There would be no more worries. I could live with staying at home and raising your children Kenchi. I want to have your baby."

Akane started to sob making Kenchi hold on her tighten even more. He knew that he loved the girl in his arms too much to burden her with the responsibilities a child would put on their lives. The both of them were still too young to have children. Yet, he could not get over the way her father was pushing her into this type of decision. He knew of kids that have done things more drastic that what Akane was planning to get away from parents who were overbearing as Akane's father was being. A part of him wanted to even give in to her. He really did want her. He wanted her so badly that it took all of his control not to give in and have a night of carnal pleasure. There was also a part of him that wanted to do right by her. He wanted her life to be the best he could offer her. Could he really offer her that life starting at the age of sixteen? He knew that as of right now they would be taken care of if something were to happen. Yet, what would she think in just two more years? He wished he could talk to someone about this. Someone that was impartial. Sadly the only person that would come close to that would be his aunt. However, her behavior was rather sporadic at times. Could he really trust her to not go over the top in this sort of discussion? With a mental sigh he made his decision.

"Akane?" He asked releasing one of his arms to reach for her chin. He turned her face towards him looking into her eyes saying. "Tonight come over to my place."

"So, you are really going to do it my love?" Akane asked hope coming to her eyes.

"Akane, when you arrive we will talk. I still don't think we are ready for that kind of commitment. However, we will see ok? There is just someone I wish to talk to ok? Please understand we are still so young Akane. If we cross this line there will be no turning back. I love you Akane remember that. No matter what happens I will always love you." He leaned down and kissed her lips.

Akane looked lovingly into his eyes as their lips separated. Smiling through her tears she said. "Whatever happens tonight Kenchi I will always love you as well. I will always love you no matter what."

With a chuckle Kenchi reluctantly released Akane from his grip on her turning her towards him. "We had better get back to your friends Akane. I am sure they must be worried about you."

"Sigh, I guess so. It is getting kind of late as is. We should separate now I guess too. I will see you tonight my love."

"I will see you tonight Akane."

With that the two separated, Akane heading back to her friends and Kenchi heading home where he hoped to have a serious conversation with his mostly hyperactive aunt. When Akane reached her friends they were surprised at first that she was alone. After explaining her run in with Kuno, Akane turned to start her way home. The two friends shared a nervous glace as they realized that the situation had just gotten worse for their friend. The three then raced to Akane's home. Yuka and Sayuri even more determined to keep their love sick friend safe.

At the Tendo home Nabiki was watching the television switching through channels board as there was nothing for her to do that day. Her sister was out on a date with her fiancé. Her father was out somewhere doing whatever he did nowadays. He was probably out sulking as he had not been able to coral Akane as he wished. It was sad that he still could not get over the fact that his daughters just wanted to follow their own dreams. It was not like they were just going to abandon the dojo. Akane even expressed her wish to run the place. She just didn't want to run it with a pervert like Saotome. Nabiki knew Saotome's type from the get go. They were the type of people that would bleed them dry and then toss them to the curb after they were done with them. Nabiki did not want to get caught up in that. She may be selfish, she may even use her family for her own gains at times, but she was still down to earth enough to know that siding with her father on this was a very bad idea. Nabiki hated being poor. That was just a matter of fact. Nabiki also hated being used. She was one that would rather use others than be used herself. She was a bit jealous of the perks her sisters have started getting already. Even though she deserved to, Nabiki envied the fact that Kasumi had gotten out of the house and life she had trapped herself in. It is not to say that she would change anything for she was truly happy for her sister. Yet, she also wanted more for herself. Without Kasumi around it would be hard to keep things straight around the homestead.

Then there was Akane, she had everything Nabiki could ever want. A wealthy fiancé who was decent, and not a loon as Kuno was. He truly loved her for who she was. She was not just a prize to be won. Most of all he was very wealthy. It was amazing that her sister could find such a catch. She even had him wrapped around her little finger. If her father would get his head out of his butt he would realize that Kenchi was the best thing for the dojo. The family would be set for life with him wed to one of the Tendo girls. Too bad he only had eyes for her sister or she would have scooped him up in a heartbeat. She wouldn't have minded breaking them up if not for the Saotomes. They would ruin the family; she knew this with all her heart. It had been kind of weird that Genma was so desperate to get his son married so fast. Looking into that Nabiki had realized that Genma would mooch off of everything that the dojo would have taken in. Again she knew that he would have driven them out into the streets. Genma would have squandered everything the family had worked for. Their mother's hard work would have been for nothing if he had gotten his grubby hands on the property. No, it was best to keep the Saotomes out of the equation.

"Nabiki?"

Nabiki turned to see her father standing behind her holding two cups of tea. "yes father?" She asked getting up from the couch.

"Would you come here for a minute I would like to talk with you?"

With a sigh Nabiki followed her father to the dining room and sat in her usual spot. Her father seated himself where he usually sat at the head of the table smiling at her which made her nervous for some reason.

He put one of the cups of tea in front of her then started to drink out of his own cup. After taking a good swallow he set his cup down and look directly at her saying "Nabiki, I have been very disappointed as of late. The family is breaking apart. It should not be this way. Your mother would not have approved of the way that you girls have been acting as of late, and it should be rectified immediately.

"You're right daddy mother would not have approved of what has been going on here. However, I believe it is your actions that she would not have approved of. You have been insufferable daddy. We know that you want to continue the school, yet you are the one that is holding the school back."

"Sigh, I do not see how you have come to this conculsion Nabiki I have done all I can for this family. I have done everything to make sure we are secure for the future."

"Forgive me daddy for being blunt, bit bull. You have done nothing to support this family. Everything we have survived on has been due to mother's works not yours. Mother was the one that raised the trust we are living off of right now. You don't even have a permanent source of income to speak of. What little you pull in dose keep the food on the table, however the home is all mother. You barely even keep this place up. What students we usually get here you run off soon after. Face it daddy you have failed this place and mother's memory not us."

Soun picked up his cup again and took another drink before again setting his cup down. "If that is so Nabiki then why is it that I am so well respected in this community?"

"Oh, that is an easy one daddy. They just don't know the real you. They again put your face in front of mom's accomplishments. Face it daddy, even though this pains me to say you are the one that is tearing everything apart." Nabiki then reached for her cup of tea, lifting it she took a big swallow and set the cup back down. She turned to her father about to again tear into him when she felt her muscles lock up. She sat frozen in place unable to move a millimeter. With growing horror she watched as her father smiled at her though it was not a kind smile.

"Soon, my dear Nabiki you will understand that I will have my dream. You girls have been far too independent lately. You should know your place even if I have to make you understand. Isn't that right Saotome?"

Nabiki heard a shuffling behind her then she saw Mr. Saotome step into sight coming to a stop beside her father. He also smiled at her evilly making her heart pound in fear.

"We should get her ready for when my son comes home. We will have an heir to the dojo my friend. There is nothing these little girls can do about it."

A choked scream escaped Nabiki's throat as the two men loomed over her, reaching for her vulnerable body.

AN: OMG I thought I would never get done with this chapter. Sorry for the cliffy but I had to end this thing somewhere. It has been years since I have finally gotten back to this story. I have never forgotten it just have never had the time to really work on it. I hope it will not take me another few years to get the next chapter out as I know all my readers who are still looking into this story would strangle me if I just left it here.

There are a few points I want to make about this chapter before people start to send flames my way for the way some of the characters are acting. Namely Akane, I know she is acting way OOC. There is a reason for this. I think I explained it pretty well in the chapter however, I can understand that some people may have issues with this. She is afraid. That is the gist of it right there. The stress her father is putting her under and the suitors is driving her into desperate measures. Going back over the story I do not know if I will have Kenchi and Akane do the deed to get by over her father. I may or may not do that still. If it douse happen then it will be off screen. I do not do lemons. I am also keeping this story in the T category so no graphic details of sexual conduct. They may talk about it but that is all that will happen in this story.

The next chapter will have many revelations to it. As I hope I have set up kind of well in this chapter there will be a lot of confessions coming next chapter. As for Nabiki's plight well, that you will have to read when I get the next chapter out. I hope you are still enjoying this story even though I know my grammar and spelling are not the best. Thanks to all those that have stuck with me and are cheering me one in this. Well until next chapter.

Sorry for the formatting issues. For some reason the upload didn't take right.


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